Corn Meal Crackers from 1918

 During World War I the United States Food Administration worked to ease the wheat shortages in Europe by encouraging American bakeries and housewives to substitute other grains in a wide range of baked goods. The agency published a number of leaflets and pamphlets to help people make use of grains such as corn, barley, oats, and buckwheat.

From War Economy in Food I tested two kinds of crackers that called for cornmeal, beginning with corn dodgers. 

 

I mixed them exactly as written. When the batter was cool, I spooned them onto parchment paper, using the back of the spoon to flatten the circles slightly. Baked at 350 F. for thirty minutes, these were golden brown and crisp. The did soften a bit the day after baking, but popping them back in the oven for a few minutes crisped them up again. 

 

I wrapped the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerated it for an hour before rolling them out on parchment paper. I used a pizza cutter to cut them into squares before transferring the parchment paper to a baking sheet. I spread the squares apart and baked them at 425 F. for 25 minutes. 

 

The initial batch of corn meal crisps were okay, very crunchy but in need of more seasoning.  The texture was a bit gritty, so I tried a second batch using masa harina instead of corn meal. These were better. I think I'll try then a few more times using combinations of corn meal and masa. Feel free to experiment with seasonings. Next time I'll try some grated parmesan and paprika.