These amazing hot, fresh breadsticks go great dipped in alfredo sauce, alongside pasta dishes like cannelloni, or with a big Italian Salad! Make some today! #sonomnom4u #breadsticks #vegetarian
2-1/4 cup warm water (about 95°)
2 TBSP turbinado sugar (you can use regular sugar if you want)
2-1/4 TBSP Active Dry Yeast (1 square pouch)
1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP olive oil (EVOO or light OO)
6 cups bread/pizza flour
10 ice cubes
4 TBSP butter
garlic salt
poppy seeds, sesame seeds, bagel seasoning (or other toppings you like!)
In a stand alone mixer, add water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minute to allow the yeast to proof. When the mixture looks foamy, add salt, olive oil and slowly add one cup at a time of the flour. After all flour is added, let mixer knead the dough until it forms a ball and all sides are cleaned and incorporated into the dough.
When all dough is well blended, remove dough and coat with olive oil. Place ball back into the bowl, remove dough hook and cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for an hour.
Remove dough from the bowl after it is about double in size and break into 3 oz balls. (a 3-oz ball is about 2") place ball on counter and roll it back and forth under your hand until it forms a tube about 7 inches long. place on a backing sheet with a dusting of flour or cornmeal. Repeat until all dough pieces are formed into tubes. Leave at least 3 inches between each breadstick. Cover and let rise an hour.
When dough is rising, preheat oven to 375° and make sure rack is centered as much as possible.
After dough has risen, open oven, and place bread on center rack. Pour 10 ice cubes onto the bottom of your oven and immediately close the oven door. Start timer now. Set timer for 15-20 minutes, or until bread is golden and sounds hollow when you knock on it. Bread will be crusty on the surface and soft on the inside. Want less crustiness? Don't add the ice cubes to the bottom of your oven.
Remove from oven when golden and crusty. Melt 4 TBSP butter and brush each one with melted butter and top with garlic salt and any other toppings you like. Serve hot with Alfredo dipping sauce, pasta, salad , soup or any other dish you wish!
NOTE:
This dough freezes great! If you plan on baking this another time, place the loaf(ves) into a freezer gallon zipper bag and freeze the dough. after you form loaves and before the second rise. When you thaw it, take it out, place it on pan as if you were going to bake it and cover to thaw and rise (check bread in about 3 hours. After it rises to about double, bake per instructions)
TIPS:
Don't heat the water too hot or the yeast will die.
Mix the salt with the folur so it doesn't hit the yeast directly. it will also kill the yeast.
Ovens vary. The cooking time listed may differ. True doneness is in golden color and hollow sound upon knocking.
