Caesar Fire Crackers

Though I’ve lived almost my entire life in the South, I was an adult the first time I encountered fire crackers, a so-called Southern staple, at a neighbor’s Christmas party. A year or so later I read Sheri Castle’s paean to the Alabama favorite in Southern Living. Reading it made me nostalgic for something I had only just met, and it planted the seeds of inspiration that would become this recipe. I realized then that fire crackers were more of a formula than a recipe: Combine crackers, oil, and seasonings and you’ll end up with something pretty wonderful, whether it’s the classic combination of ranch dressing powder and crushed red pepper flakes or your own take with crunchy chili crisp. This recipe takes the fire cracker formula and Caesar-izes it, bringing in the umami punch of Parmesan and anchovy oil. You can almost always find a jar of anchovy oil in the cluster of curiosities at the back of my fridge as I find it nearly impossible to part with the dregs of any condiment—especially the oil from a jar of anchovies, which is so useful for batches of pasta (or cauliflower) puttanesca and Caesar salad dressing.

You would think that dumping flavored oil in a bag full of saltines would result in a soggy mess, but somehow those absorbent little crackers soak up all the flavor and end up better for it, in both taste and texture. Technically, this could be a no-bake recipe. After 12 hours of marinating, the crackers will be shot through with Caesar flavor, with a lovely crunchy texture. But I feel strongly that giving the crackers some time in the oven is the move. It takes the crackers from crunchy to exquisitely crisp.