I got these from Our Best Bites and they are my favorite! You can also use this recipe for pizza dough like on these Pizza Rolls. The topping combined with the dipping sauce puts any restaurant’s breadsticks to shame. Or leave off the garlic topping and just brush with butter when they come out of the oven and serve with soup. This is such a forgiving dough so you can’t mess it up, trust me!
Breadsticks
1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 c. flour
In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger. Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.
Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it’s okay if they’re close. I love when dough touches as it bakes. It makes for wonderful results!
Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes. When there’s about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt. Or you could sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Totally awesome. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping and you’re ready to go.
Pizza Sauce
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste*
3 oz. water (that’s half of the empty tomato paste can)
3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well.
*Note: Sometimes when I’m lazy I use Italian tomato paste and skip the other ingredients,except the 3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Don’t leave that out!
Oh my goodness, you just made my boys so happy with this recipe. They love breadsticks. I will try it on the weekend.
Love this! Would like to invite you over to Fat Camp Friday @ Mangoes and Chutney. The linky is up all weekend and one blogger from the linky party is featured every Wednesday. http://www.mangoesandchutney.com/2011/01/fat-camp-friday-10-blackened-tilapia.html
Oh my gosh, your breadsticks look exactly like the ones I ate at Olive Garden and I'm sure they're every bit as good, if not better. I'll have to give these a try one day.
Still drooling over these breadsticks. Thanks for sharing with Fat Camp Friday, hope to see you back again next week with another great recipe! http://mangoesandchutney.com
Oh boy – definitely need to make these. I have such a weakness for bread! 🙂