Yes, you could buy breadsticks but these are easy to make and will have that non-uniform look of homemade produce that people love. Youll see in the photos that some of these are rolled and some twisted. The twisted ones are much quicker to do so Ill stick with them from now on.
I wish Id got a better picture but they just didnt last long enough.
I also use a mixer with a dough hook to save effort but a good, hand kneading is just as effective.
Serves: 18 makes 18 to twenty sticks
Ingredients
- 250g strong flour
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 50g polenta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 7g dried yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 150ml luke warm water
- 8 sprays of sunflower oil
Method
- Put the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sesame seeds, yeast, salt, sugar and water. Mix thoroughly and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
- If youre using a machine with a dough hook about 5 to 6 minutes will do.
- Take two baking trays and squirt each with 4 sprays of sunflower oils. Rub it all over the tray with your fingers.
- Put the polenta onto a clean flat surface and roll the dough in it to cover it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into as close to a rectangle as you can. Make it as thin as you dare, about 3mm.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips about 1.5cm / wide. Gently twist each strip as you pick it up and place it on a baking tray. Keep a little distance between the strips on the trays as they will expand a bit.
- You could roll the strips instead of twisting but it does take more time.
- Cover the sticks with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for about 15 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 220C (200C fan), gas mark 7.
- Remove the tea towel and bake the sticks for about 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool.
