Pear Walnut Crackers with a Fig and Pear Compote

This recipe is again inspired by Susan Powers. I basically followed the recipe with only slight alterations. Originally I was so in love with the intense flavor of the fig walnut crackers that I didn't fully appreciate the subtlety of these crackers. Then I slowed down and really tasted them. I fell in love again, so much so that I brought these home to my mother and fed them to her with her glass of white whine.  She loved them so much we made more the next day so I could leave some with her. Then I served them to one of my sisters who also loved them.  Then when another sister called and we were all raving about them, she wanted the recipe since she, too, has a big Excalibur dehydrator. I promised her I'd post the recipe, so here it is.

 

Pear Walnut Crackers:

2 pears chopped 

2 c. walnuts soaked and drained

1 c. almonds soaked and drained

2 c. raw groats ground into flour

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. fresh sage

1/2 t. papaya seed peppercorns*

1/2 t. sea salt

First grind oat groats into flour using a Vitamix or grain mill. Set aside. Next puree pears in a food processor. Add walnuts and incorporate well. Then add almonds and incorporate well again. Add oat groats and other remaining ingredients and blend well until a dough-like consistency has formed.  Spread mixture onto two Teflex lined dehydrator sheets. Press each ball of dough into a large square. Score the crackers into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 10 hours, flipping halfway and removing Teflex liners at this point. Crackers should be crisp when finished dehydrating.

*Instead of peppercorns, I dehydrate papaya seeds until they are the size of peppercorns and then put them in my peppermill. 

Pear Fig Compote:

1 pear chopped and seeded

12 dried Black Mission Figs with stems removed

1 t. cinnamon

Process ingredients in a food processor until you have a jelly consistency.

Assembly:

Place a tablespoon of compote on each cracker. Top with a thin slice of pear and sprinkle with cinnamon.