Breadstick Recipe

Ingredients:

2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast 3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons shortening

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Method

In a small mixer bowl combine 3/4 cup of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat milk, shortening, sugar, and salt just till warm (115° to 120°) and shortening is almost melted, stirring constantly. Add to flour mixture. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead in enough of the remaining flow to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double (45 to 60 minutes).
 

Punch down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Divide each into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 8 inches long. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 30 minutes). If desired, brush with a mixture of egg white and water, and sprinkle with coarse salt or sesame seed.

Bake in a 375° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or till golden . (For drier breadsticks, after baking 10 minutes, decrease oven temperature to 300° and bake 25 to 30 minutes longer.)

Makes 24 breadsticks.
 

Parmesan Breadsticks:

Prepare Breadsticks as above, stir 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese into the 3/4 cup flour and yeast. Omit sprinkling with coarse salt or seed.
 

Barbecue Breadsticks:

Prepare Breadstick dough as above, except decrease the milk to 2/3 cup and stir 2 tablespoons bottled barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon minced dried onion into the milk-shortening mixture in saucepan. Omit sprinkling breadsticks with coarse salt or seed. For drier barbecue breadsticks, bake in a 375° oven for 10 minutes; decrease temperature to 300° and bake only 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Per serving: 9 g carbohydrates, 56 calories, 1 g fat, 644 mg sodium, 2 g protein

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