Classic Snacks Made from Scratch (10 page)

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

PEANUT BUTTER

1-1/2 cups roasted shelled peanuts

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

MAKE THE CRACKERS:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.

Whisk the vegetable oil and eggs together in a small bowl; set aside.

In a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir the flour, sugar, cheese powder, turmeric, baking soda, and salt for a few seconds until combined. Add the butter cubes and pulse in
3-second on/off turns in the food processor or stir at medium speed with the mixer until a crumbly dough forms, resembling moist cornmeal. Add the beaten oil and egg mixture and continue to pulse/stir until a soft dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into 4 discs. Dust one of the discs liberally with flour and roll into a rough 8-inch square no more than 1/8 inch thick. (Make it as thin as you can, since the crackers will puff up when baked.) Slice into 1-1/2-inch squares using a fluted pastry cutter. Transfer the crackers to a baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Poke holes in the cracker squares using a toothpick or cocktail fork, then sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until hints of golden brown appear around the edges. Watch carefully! Transfer the baked crackers to a wire rack and let cool completely.

MAKE THE FILLING AND ASSEMBLE:

Grind the peanuts, sugar, and salt together in a food processor or mini food processor, pulsing on and off and scraping the bowl down as needed, to make peanut butter.

Assemble by spreading peanut butter on the flat (bottom) side of one cracker, then topping with another cracker, flat-side down, to make a sandwich. Repeat to fill all the crackers.

Store the filled crackers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.

What is it about salty snacks that gives us an uncontrollable urge to shove our mitts into that flimsy bag’s crinkly foil maw, dig deep down, and seize a big handful? Just a gentle opening tug—emitting a puff and a whiff of MSG, no doubt—sets the drool reflex to overdrive.

Whether your memories are of late college nights polishing off the last of the Cool Ranch Doritos, lazy poolside days licking BBQ potato chip dust off your fingers, or long road trips with a bag of Corn Nuts at your side, there’s a savory snack in this chapter for you.

FRITOS

COOL RANCH DORITOS

SOUR CREAM & ONION POTATO CHIPS

BBQ POTATO CHIPS

WHEAT THINS

CORN NUTS

PRETZEL RODS

FUNYUNS

CHICKEN IN A BISKIT CRACKERS

According to Kaleta Doolin, daughter of Fritos inventor C. E. Doolin, the key to a Frito’s distinctive taste comes from the unique hybrid variety of corn developed by her father specifically for the chips. Even today, Frito-Lay makes fresh masa dough for the chips from its own proprietary corn! I won’t make you go so far as to make masa from scratch—a process that involves lots of soaking and a lye-like powder—though there are a number of online tutorials, should you feel curious. We’ll use the pre-ground stuff instead. But do C. E. Doolin a favor and eat your Fritos freshly fried; that’s how he did it, grabbing them straight from the conveyor belts.

YIELD:
about 50 crackers

TOTAL TIME:
30 minutes

DIFFICULTY:
2

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
electric deep fryer (or a large pot and a candy/oil thermometer), pastry or pizza cutter, heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer

vegetable or canola oil for frying

1/2 cup (2 ounces) masa harina (see
page 13
)

1/3 cup (2 ounces) yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 350°F in an electric deep fryer or large, high-sided pot. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and top with an upside-down wire cooling rack (see Deep Frying 101,
page 188
).

Whisk the masa harina, cornmeal, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.

Whisk the water and 1 tablespoon oil together in a small bowl, then stir into the dry ingredients to form a moist dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough into an 8 by 10-inch rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick. Using a pastry or pizza cutter, slice the dough into a grid of 1/2 by 1-1/2-inch strips.

Fry the strips in the hot oil in batches until they are golden and the bubbling around the edges has mostly subsided. Frying time will vary depending on the size of your equipment, so watch carefully. Transfer the fried strips to the prepared baking sheet with heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh
strainer to cool.

Serve fresh; the strips will become soggy after a day or two.

Yeah, so the taste of an out-of-the-bag Cool Ranch chip doesn’t exactly approximate ranch dressing. But that wasn’t really the draw back in 1986 when the chip debuted, was it? The ability to finally choose between the classic red Doritos bag and the new blue bag, filled with strangely speckled chips, was a mind-blowingly liberating experience for young tastebuds.

YIELD:
approximately 20 dozen chips

TOTAL TIME:
30 minutes

DIFFICULTY:
3

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
electric deep fryer (or a large pot and a candy/oil thermometer), spice grinder or mini food processor, heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer

vegetable or canola oil for frying

1 package 6-inch corn tortillas

2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese powder (see
page 12
)

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon buttermilk powder (see
page 12
)

1-1/2 teaspoons dried chives

3/4 teaspoon citric acid (see
page 13
)

3/4 teaspoon dried lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 350°F in an electric deep fryer or large, high-sided pot. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set an upside-down wire cooling rack on top (see Deep Frying 101,
page 188
).

Cut each tortilla into 8 triangles (cut into quarters, then cut each quarter in half).

Grind all the remaining ingredients together in a spice grinder or mini food processor. Pour the powdered mixture into a gallon-size zip-top bag.

Fry the chips until golden brown. Frying time will vary based on your equipment, but should not take more than 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to the lined baking sheet with heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer to cool completely (about 10 minutes).

Once all the chips are cool, place them in the zip-top bag and shake to coat lightly with the seasoning powder. Remove from the bag and return to the cooling rack, shaking gently to remove excess powder if necessary.

These chips taste best the day they’re made.

Though it’s rarely called out in the name, chives are what make this particular potato chip so addictive for me. Like miniature, garlic-infused scallions, chives “blossom” with many-layered flavor that complements the somewhat basic taste of onion powder. And because dried chives are chunkier than the rest of the ingredients in the blend, it’s key to grind them down into powder along with the rest of the seasonings. If you don’t have a dedicated spice grinder (an old coffee grinder works wonders!), a mini food processor or even a manual mortar and pestle will do the trick.

YIELD:
about 4 cups

TOTAL TIME:
1 hour

DIFFICULTY:
2

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
electric deep fryer (or a large pot and a candy/oil thermometer), mandoline or Japanese slicer, cut-resistant glove (recommended), spice grinder or mini food processor, heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer

2 pounds (about 4 medium) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder (see
page 12
)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried chives

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

vegetable or canola oil for frying

PREPARE THE POTATOES:

Bring a 4-quart stockpot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a kitchen towel.

Rinse and peel the potatoes, then slice 1/8 inch thick on a mandoline or Japanese slicer. (I recommend wearing a metal-mesh cut-resistant glove—not only does it allow you to handle the potato more securely, but it also lets you slice down to the last nubbin, leaving you with less food waste.)

Transfer half the slices to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t overcook and let the potatoes fall apart; we’re just jump-starting the cooking process so the potatoes will fry golden instead of burning.

Gently remove the slices with heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer, drain well in a colander, and transfer to the towel-lined baking sheet
in a single layer. Pat dry with an additional towel. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Place the buttermilk powder, salt, chives, onion powder, sugar, and mustard powder in a spice grinder or mini food processor and whir for 10 to 15 seconds to blend evenly. Set aside.

Note:
The potato slices and spice mixture can be prepared a day in advance. Slice the potatoes but don’t boil them, and refrigerate them overnight in cold water to cover, and keep the spice mixture in an airtight container.

FRY AND SEASON THE CHIPS:

Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 350°F in an electric deep fryer or large, high-sided pot. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and an upside-down wire cooling rack (see Deep Frying 101,
page 188
).

Pour the spice blend into a gallon-size zip-top bag.

Add the potato slices in batches to the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Frying time will vary depending on your equipment, so watch carefully.

Remove the chips with heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer. Drain the chips on the lined baking sheet for about 1 minute, then place in the zip-top bag, seal, and shake lightly to distribute the spices. Remove from the bag and repeat with the remaining potato slices.

Serve warm or at room temperature; these chips are best eaten the day they’re fried.

Not all BBQ potato chips are created equal. There are the anemic, barely-dusted pale chips in bargain bags, and then there are the spicy, crimson, liberally coated chips that really deliver on the BBQ flavor. For me, any bag that says “mesquite” is the one I’ll be pulling off the shelf—something about that extra smoke brings out the sweetness I crave in BBQ, and if it’s on a kettle-cooked chip, it’s a double win.

For this recipe, look for pimentón—Spanish smoked paprika—at the grocery store. It’s got a deeply smoky taste that’s the best approximation of mesquite out there.

YIELD:
about 4 cups

TOTAL TIME:
1 hour

DIFFICULTY:
2

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
electric deep fryer (or a large pot and a candy/oil thermometer), mandoline or Japanese slicer, cut-resistant glove (recommended), spice grinder or mini food processor, heatproof tongs or a metal skimmer or mesh strainer