Divine Breadsticks

Hello.  My name is Angela and I have a yeast bread phobia.  I was never a good science student and cooking with yeast just seems way too much like science.  Ironically enough, bread is my all-time favorite food.  I would skip dessert to have another soft yeast roll or a chewy baguette.

However, to grow as a person I know that I need to branch out and become comfortable with the little yeast packets.  This recipe helped me do just that.  I have tried other yeast breads in the past and they have failed miserably.  But this one WORKED!  And it was YUMMY!  My family loves it when I make these and I bet yours will too.  Don't be scared!

1 ½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)

Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a stand mixer with the dough hook, adding flour until all of the dough clings to the hook and leaves the sides of the bowl.  Let the mixer knead the dough (on the low setting) for three minutes. 

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter onto an 11X17-inch baking sheet (I just put the butter on the baking sheet while the oven is preheating and it melts itself). Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. 

Twist slightly, if desired, and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt, herbs of choice and/or parmesan cheese. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.  Remove plastic wrap and bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

This recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and she says: *Note: as with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in the recipe as a hard fast rule (unless a weight measure is given and then I pull out my kitchen scale). Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe. This tutorial on yeast may help identify how a perfectly floured dough should be.