Basic Breadsticks
Serves: 4
Irma Bergnaum
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
47
Spice
53
Sweetness
53
Sourness
37
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 cups
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour2 tsps
SaltDirections:
1
In a small bowl whisk together water and yeast and let stand while combining remaining dough ingredients
2
In a small bowl whisk together water and yeast and let stand while combining remaining dough ingredients
3
To make dough in a food processor: Pulse together flour and salt 2 or 3 times to combine
4
Add oil, butter, or lard and pulse until combined well, 10 to 20 times
5
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and pulse until dough forms a ball, about 10 times
6
Let dough rest in processor 5 minutes
7
Process dough continuously 10 seconds
8
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball
9
Pulse together flour and salt 2 or 3 times to combine
10
Add oil, butter, or lard and pulse until combined well, 10 to 20 times
11
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and pulse until dough forms a ball, about 10 times
12
Let dough rest in processor 5 minutes
13
Process dough continuously 10 seconds
14
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball
15
To make dough in a standing electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment: In bowl combine flour and salt and mix on low speed until combined
16
Add oil, butter, or lard and beat until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape bowl and paddle as necessary
17
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat on low speed until dough forms a ball, about 5 minutes
18
Let dough rest 5 minutes and beat on low speed 1 minute
19
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball
20
In bowl combine flour and salt and mix on low speed until combined
21
Add oil, butter, or lard and beat until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape bowl and paddle as necessary
22
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat on low speed until dough forms a ball, about 5 minutes
23
Let dough rest 5 minutes and beat on low speed 1 minute
24
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball
25
To make dough by hand: In a large bowl stir together flour and salt
26
Add oil, butter, or lard and blend with fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal
27
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and stir until a rough dough forms
28
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes
29
In a large bowl stir together flour and salt
30
Add oil, butter, or lard and blend with fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal
31
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and stir until a rough dough forms
32
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes
33
For rising: Put dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour
34
On lightly surface knead dough lightly to deflate and form into a ball
35
Grease bowl again and return dough to bowl, turning to coat
36
Chill dough, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day
37
Put dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour
38
On lightly surface knead dough lightly to deflate and form into a ball
39
Grease bowl again and return dough to bowl, turning to coat
40
Chill dough, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day
41
To form and bake breadsticks: Preheat oven to 325°F
42
And lightly dust 3 jelly-roll pans or large baking sheets with cornmeal
43
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, making sure dough emerges from bowl in one piece and doesn't fold
44
(Folded dough becomes too elastic and is difficult to form into breadsticks
45
) Pat dough into a 9-inch square and cut in half to form 2 rectangles
46
Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4 1/2- by 1/2-inch strips for a total of 36 pieces and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel to keep them from forming skin
47
Roll and stretch each piece of dough with palms of hands to form a narrow stick 12 to 15 inches long
48
(If dough resists, let pieces rest, covered, 5 minutes, and they will roll and stretch easily
49
) Arrange breadsticks as formed on pans about 1/2 inch apart and let rest 10 minutes
50
Bake 2 pans of breadsticks in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching their positions halfway through baking, until breadsticks are firm, crisp, and pale golden, 20 to 30 minutes
51
(Third pan of breadsticks may be kept at room temperature while first 2 pans bake
52
) Transfer breadsticks to racks and cool
53
Bake remaining pan of breadsticks in middle of oven and cool
54
Breadsticks may be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap or in a paper bag, at room temperature up to 1 week
55
If they absorb humidity and soften, recrisp in a preheated 325°F
56
Oven about 5 minutes
57
Preheat oven to 325°F
58
And lightly dust 3 jelly-roll pans or large baking sheets with cornmeal
59
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, making sure dough emerges from bowl in one piece and doesn't fold
60
(Folded dough becomes too elastic and is difficult to form into breadsticks
61
) Pat dough into a 9-inch square and cut in half to form 2 rectangles
62
Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4 1/2- by 1/2-inch strips for a total of 36 pieces and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel to keep them from forming skin
63
Roll and stretch each piece of dough with palms of hands to form a narrow stick 12 to 15 inches long
64
(If dough resists, let pieces rest, covered, 5 minutes, and they will roll and stretch easily
65
) Arrange breadsticks as formed on pans about 1/2 inch apart and let rest 10 minutes
66
Bake 2 pans of breadsticks in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching their positions halfway through baking, until breadsticks are firm, crisp, and pale golden, 20 to 30 minutes
67
(Third pan of breadsticks may be kept at room temperature while first 2 pans bake
68
) Transfer breadsticks to racks and cool
69
Bake remaining pan of breadsticks in middle of oven and cool
70
Breadsticks may be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap or in a paper bag, at room temperature up to 1 week
71
If they absorb humidity and soften, recrisp in a preheated 325°F
72
Oven about 5 minutes