I have no issue with sourdough pancakes or waffles from discard starter, but I’m more of a savory “girl” and don’t make pancakes or waffles very often.
BUT. I do NOT throw out unfed starter!
So, this is an alternative to the pancake/waffle thing: crackers!
I’ve been making crackers for many years … even before making sourdough/naturally leavened baked goods. So, I had some tools and experience.
The original starter recipe for crackers is a King Arthur Flour recipe. And if you decide to try crackers, I highly recommend looking at that recipe as well as the many comments. There are great ideas as far as technique and flavorings.
For myself, I have settled on a basic recipe and the technique is to mix the dough in the morning, let it sit for 1-2-3-4 hours, knead, refrigerate until afternoon and then roll via a pasta roller.
The basic recipe is:
113 grams flour
248 grams discard starter
2 T herbs
1/4 cup “fat” … I use olive oil
I usually make double the recipe. I usually roll to 4 on my Atlas Pasta roller, but photos below are rolled to 3 as I was wondering what the difference might be. I like 4
After a couple of years making this particular recipe, it takes 10-15 minutes to mix the dough, another 5 to knead at some point and then 1.5 hours to roll, cut, bake and clean up.
End result this weekend’s bake = almost 1 “gallon” volume of crackers.
My process is that I roll the dough in the pasta maker.
Then, score (with a pastry cutter) on silpat on a half sheet baking pan. Coarse salt.
Bake at 400 for 8-12 minutes. Crackers go from just right to “oh, no!” in a flash.
After cooling a bit, I break apart along the score lines (My instagram, breaking crackers)
One note. If you make these and try a fresh baked cracker and it tastes bland … NOT to worry. These take 24 hours to come to full flavor and 48 hours best flavor.