The more I entertain, the more I realize that it’s the small details that make the biggest impression. Take these homemade crackers. Unfussy and quick to make, even for the most pastry-challenged, they bake beautifully into crisp, light flatbread-style snacks. Perfect with wine and cheese at a cocktail party or with crocks of soup at an after-ski gathering, these crackers always have my guests begging for the recipe. Who would have guessed that a simple cracker could be such a hit?

The dough needs no yeast, no kneading, and no elaborate mixing. In a single bowl, a blend of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour with only salt, water, and a splash of olive oil comes together quickly. You’ll have a dough that will smooth and stretch easily as you roll it nice and thin for the snappiest, brownest crackers. I don’t trim the dough before cutting it into rectangles, because I love how the slightly ragged edge gives them a rustic charm. Plus, that way, there’s no wasted dough. A light coating of water with a pastry brush helps the topping (either toasted seeds, or a rosemary-sea-salt variation) adhere and also sweeps away any excess flour that would dull the crackers’ surface as they bubble, curl, and brown.