Breadsticks Soft Breadsticks

Imagine the aroma created by these fragrant sesame seed-covered breadsticks and before you know it, you'll be in the kitchen trying out the real thing.
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, divided use1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/4 cups warm water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; set aside.
Combine half of the flour with yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl; add warm water (105° to 115°F) and oil; beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, garlic and as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into fourths; shape each portion into a ball then divide each ball into 10 portions. Shape each portion into an 8-inch rope.
Brush each dough rope with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place ropes 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Makes 10 breadsticks.

Savory Bread Sticks

Aromatic herbs complement these buttery breadsticks.
1/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 8 partially baked soft breadsticks
Heat oven to 400°F. Melt butter in 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan in oven (3 to 4 minutes). Stir in all remaining ingredients except breadsticks.
Brush breadsticks with butter mixture; arrange in prepared pan. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until breadsticks are crisp and golden brown.
Makes 8 breadsticks.
Nutrition Facts (1 breadstick): Calories: 150 Fat: 9 g Cholesterol: 20 mg Sodium: 220 mg Carbohydrates: 14 g Dietary Fiber: 0 g Protein: 2 g


No-Knead Bread Sticks

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons5 cups all-purpose flour, divided use1 1/3 cups warm water 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg white, beaten 2 tablespoons coarse salt 2 tablespoons sesame seed
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Stir in oil, honey, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in the remaining 3 cups of flour, scraping the dough from the side of the bowl, until a soft dough forms. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Stir down the dough by beating about 25 strokes. Turn onto a floured surface and divide into 24 equal parts. Roll and shape each part into a rope.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse salt or sesame seed.
Bake in a preheated 300*F oven until the crust is deep golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Immediately remove from the baking sheet.
Makes 24.

Chewy Italian Batter Breadsticks

Reminiscent of traditional tangy San Francisco sourdough, this sourdough is easy to make using plain yogurt. No need to make a starter. Shape dough into chewy soft breadsticks or long baguette loaves.

Bread Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 (14-ounce) package active dry yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1 (6-ounce) carton (3/4 cup) plain yogurt 2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter 2 tablespoons vinegar

Topping Ingredients:
1 egg white, slightly beaten Sesame seed or poppy seed, if desired Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired Coarse salt, if desired
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
Combine water, yogurt and butter in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 120° to 130°F (2 to 4 minutes). (Butter may not melt completely.) Add warm yogurt mixture and vinegar to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Invert large bowl over dough; let rise in warm place until almost double in size (30 to 60 minutes).

Divide dough in half; roll each half into 10x8-inch rectangle. Cut each into 8 (1-inch wide) strips. Stretch each strip to about 12 inches long. Fold strip in half; twist several times. Pinch ends to seal. Place onto greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic food wrap; let rise in warm place until double in size (15 to 20 minutes).
Heat oven to 375°F. Brush breadsticks with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with desired topping. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.

Makes 16 breadsticks.

TIP: Sourdough originally had to be made with a fermented “starter” to get its distinctive tangy flavor. Today, we can use other products to get a similar flavor without the lengthy procedure of making and keeping a starter.

VARIATION: Sourdough Baguette: Prepare dough as directed. Shape each half into 14x8-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly, jelly roll fashion, starting with 14-inch side. Pinch sides and ends to seal. Place seam-side down onto greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes). Heat oven to 375°F. Make several diagonal cuts with sharp knife about 1/2-inch deep on top of loaves. Brush tops with cold water. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. (For a crisper crust, brush tops of loaves one or two times with cold water during last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.) 2 loaves  ¶ 2:52 PM