Monday, July 12, 2010

Homemade Breadsticks

I have a confession to make.  I am completely and utterly addicted to these breadsticks.  Case in point, 100+ degree day that I have dinner going in the crock pot so I won't have to turn on the oven or work on the stove.  Then at about 3:00 in the afternoon, as I am starting to smell my crock pot Chicken Parmesan, I start to think how crazy good these breadsticks would be with dinner.  At about 3:30, all I can think about is this chewy, doughy, garlicky, buttery goodness dipping into the sauce of my Chicken Parmesan.  At 4:00, I am mixing the dough, and at 4:15, I set them outside on the patio table to rise...covered in saran wrap of course...but it is the perfect humid, warm oasis since my AC is continually cranking cold air.  I have already justified that since they only have to bake for 15 minutes, it won't heat up the house too much.  At 4:45, they go in the oven and come out at 5:00, just in time for the table to be set.  I look at my windows and there are the faces of all the neighborhood girlies begging for the leftovers.  This has happened FAR more times than I am willing to admit.  SERIOUSLY addicted.  Try them!  Try them and join me singing chorus of adoration for these luscious sticks-o-heaven.  What?!  Like you don't make up songs about yummy food!

Ingredients:
  • 1-½ cups warm water
  • 1 TBSP instant (rapid rise) yeast from a jar.  Sorry, the packets don't hold a full TBSP
  • 2 TBSP sugar
  • 3-½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2-4 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 TBSP garlic salt
  • 1-2 tsp herbs/seasoning of your choice.  I am using an herb blend that is for mixing with olive oil and dipping bread, but any herb or combo of herbs that you like would work well.
  • 4 TBSP melted butter
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
Mix together water, yeast, sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1-2 TBSP olive oil (just enough to coat) onto the bottom of a 16"x14" cookie sheet.  Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and large enough to fit onto baking sheet.  Place whole sheet of dough on baking sheet, then brush 1-2 TBSP olive oil over top of dough making sure it is all lightly covered.  Sprinkle garlic salt and herbs of choice over top of olive oil.  Using a pizza cutter, cut breadsticks into desired length and width.   Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap and place in preheated oven and allow to bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush melted butter all over top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Serve, eat, and break out into a little diddy about breadstick lovveeee!

This recipe has been linked up at:
Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck

recipe adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

11 comments:

  1. I'm making spaghetti sauce in the crock pot tomorrow and plan to make these lovely bread sticks too to with it...good idea or what?! I'm pysched! YUMMMMMMMMM

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  2. These look amazing. I bet they were worth the heat from the oven!

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  3. Made these last night....fabulous!!!!!

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  4. OH yum, I love CARBS and these look fantastic. Will have to give them a try SOON!

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  5. I made these last night with spaghetti. It was my first bread recipe ever and they came out very very good!!! The only thing I need to change next time is to add a lot more herbs. I only had garlic powder and parm cheese. Would it be okay to coat the pan in garlic butter instead of oil and then brush more garlic butter on top before baking or is the oil necessary for the bread to rise? Thanks so so much! I am so proud I made these =)

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  6. Hi Vanessa -
    I would think you could use garlic butter instead of the oil, I would just be careful that the garlic does not burn. I use garlic salt instead of garlic powder on mine. As weird as it sounds adding that bit of saltiness really makes it pop. Garlic bread sprinkle is really good on top too. Next time, try it adding some dried italian seasoning too, or any herb you have. Have fun with it! I am so glad you liked it ;)

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  7. Yes, I was so proud of myself..LOL! It was so easy and the best thing was my husband actually liked them. Well next time I am going to try the garlic butter or maybe half oil and half butter for the taste. Thanks for the suggestions. I will def. be taking your advice..Mmmmmmm..cannot wait to make them again!!

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  8. Hello again, I plan on making these again with your crockpot chicken parm next week. Because I want to eat as soon as I get home, is there anyway to prepare the dough the night before or how can I keep them tasting fresh? I thought they tasted awesome the day I made them, but not as good the next day. Thanks for your recipes. They are soooo good!

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  9. Hi Vanessa - I have to be honest....I have no idea. :( The only way I can think of would be to bake them, let them cool and cover them to put them in the fridge, the next day, rewarm in the oven THEN add the melted butter and parm cheese. But, I have never tried that so I can't tell you for sure how it would come out. In theroy, it sounds right. I think if you were to prepare it up to the point of letting it rise and put in the fridge at that point overnight, then take out to rise when you got home, because the dough is colder, it would take longer to rise then to simply make from scratch. Let me know what you try and how it works :)

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  10. Well looks like I am going to make them the night before and then re-warm and butter and season them the day I get home. So sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate the advice. Bread is so new to me and scares me sometimes..LOL! Well I will update you next week after I make them =)

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