Carta Musica (Semolina Crackers)

Just saw this recipe on Food52 and had to make it because a bag of semolina flour had been lingering in my pantry for far too long.

These are large and beautiful crackers that you cook on a hot pizza stone.  I used a cylindrical kid's wooden block to roll them finely, which worked better than my French tapered rolling pin.  Fun to make and fun to crunch!

I've heard two theories: that they're called "carta musica" or music paper because you roll them as thin as sheet music, or because they make a symphony of crunches when you eat them, defying any attempt to consume them gracefully.

Carta Musica (Semolina Crackers)

From Food52.comMakes about 20 crackers

• 1 cup semolina flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling the crackers
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the flours and salt. Stir in 1 cup water with a wooden spoon, and work into a stiff dough. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until the dough is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Set a baking stone on the lowest oven shelf and heat the oven to 500 degrees. If you don't have a baking stone, set a heavy baking sheet on the shelf.
3. Cut the dough into 20 pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap so the dough doesn't dry as you work. Roll each ball into a paper-thin sheet using a rolling pin, and flour as needed. Don't worry about the shape -- you want them to look hand-hewn! Bake them off as you go, laying them on the baking stone (or floured baking sheet), turning them as they bubble and begin to turn color. They're done when they're golden brown on the edges, and crisp, about 3 minutes total. Cool on a wire rack, and continue with the remaining dough.