Coca Idiazábal Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Make the dough

In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, baking powder and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.

Combine wet ingredients

In a small bowl mix the extra-virgin olive oil, cold water and honey (if using) until combined.

Form a dough

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until the dough comes together; it will be slightly crumbly but should hold when pressed. If too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more cold water; if too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour.

Roll thin

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll between two sheets of parchment paper or with a lightly floured rolling pin to about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thickness for crisp crackers.

Cut crackers

Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel cut the rolled dough into roughly 2-inch (5 cm) rounds or rectangles. Transfer the cut crackers (still on parchment) to the prepared baking sheets. Prick each cracker a few times with a fork to prevent bubbling.

Brush and salt

Brush the tops lightly with a little extra-virgin olive oil (about half of the finishing amount) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt or flaky salt.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–16 minutes, rotating the pans once midway, until the crackers are golden at the edges and crisp. Baking time depends on thickness; watch closely to avoid burning.

Cool

Remove from oven and transfer crackers to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp further as they cool.

Slice cheese

While crackers cool, slice the Idiazábal cheese into thin wedges or 1/8- to 1/4-inch (3–6 mm) slices so each cracker can be topped with a piece. If the cheese is cold and firm, let it sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes for optimal texture and flavor.

Portion membrillo

Cut the membrillo (quince paste) into small matchsticks or thin slices roughly the same size as the cheese slices so they fit neatly on the crackers.

Assemble

Place a cracker on a serving platter, top with a slice of Idiazábal cheese, then a small piece of membrillo. Repeat for desired number of crackers. Alternate with a cheese-first or membrillo-first placement if you prefer contrast of textures.

Finish and garnish

Drizzle each assembled cracker lightly with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil (about 1 teaspoon per 8–10 crackers), sprinkle with a pinch of fresh thyme leaves (or finely chopped rosemary) and a grind of black pepper. Add a few microgreens or small herb leaves for color if using.

Serve

Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature so the smoked flavors of the Idiazábal and the sweetness of the membrillo are balanced by the olive-oil crisp crackers. Leftover crackers keep in an airtight container up to 3 days; assemble toppings just before serving.