POPPY CHEDDAR MOON CRACKERS

Steps:

• In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, cornmeal, poppy seeds, salt, and baking powder. Add butter and blend or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add Cheddar and 4 tablespoons water and toss with a fork or pulse until water is incorporated, adding enough of remaining tablespoon water if necessary to form a soft dough.
• On a work surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to develop gluten in flour slightly and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out half of dough with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (about 1/16 inch thick) and with a 2 3/4-inch crescent-moon cutter cut out shapes, transferring them to lightly greased baking sheets. Gather scraps and reroll dough. Cut out more crescent shapes in same manner and transfer to baking sheets.
• Brush crescents lightly with egg wash and prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle crescents with salt and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer crackers with a metal spatula to racks and cool. Make more crackers with remaining dough in same manner. Crackers may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.