Garlic n' Cheese Breadsticks

These bread sticks are just like (but better than) the ones that you get from your local pizza restaurant.

These Garlic breadsticks are very easy to make. They're good for a quick snack whether it's for a movie night, a lazy weekend, or for studying.

The first thing that I did was I mixed together 1 cup of flour with sugar, dry yeast, and salt. And then in a small microwave-safe bowl I combined some water and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. This got microwaved on HIGH in 15 second increments until warm but not so hot that you will burn yourself. Next I mixed the water and oil mixture to the flour mixture and then I added an egg white.

Next, I mixed this mixture with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes and then I added the remaining flour to the mixture until it turned to a dough texture and started forming a ball and sticking together.

Before you do this step make sure that you're counter is clean. Once you feel that the dough has formed a ball shape you can lightly flour the surface you are working on and take the dough out of the bowl and start kneading it (you don't want to knead it to the point where the dough is tough, just knead it a little bit so everything is combined). After that, put the dough in a clean bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel for about 10 minutes.

Cover a 9x13 inch baking sheet in parchment paper. Press the dough into the corners of the baking sheet. Cover with the same damp towel that you used for the previous step and let it rise for about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and garlic cloves. Brush the mixture over the top of the dough and top with shredded Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with chopped parsley over the cheese, if desired.

Bake on 450°F for 11 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Move breadsticks to a large cutting board and cut into breadstick shapes with a pizza cutter. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Garlic n' Cheese Breadsticks

For the breadsticks:

2 to 2-1/2 cups all purpose four

1 tablespoon sugar

1 packet Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 egg white

For the topping:

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups (8 oz.) Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with the sugar, dry yeast, and salt. Stir until blended. In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the water and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second intervals until very warm but not hot to the touch (30-45 seconds is recommended, differing for different microwaves). Add the water and oil mixture to the flour mixture. Add the egg white.

2. With a wooden spoon, beat 3-4 minutes (or for an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes). Add 1/2 cup of flour and mix. The mixture should start getting thicker into a dough texture. Start slowly adding the remaining flour a little bit at a time until the dough starts to form a dough texture and shape-like the dough that would be kneaded by hand.

3. Lightly flour the surface that you are cooking on and knead the dough until it is smooth. (If you don't know if you're ready to stop kneading, push 2 fingers into the dough and if it springs back like elastic, the dough is fine, if an imprint stays in the dough, the dough is not ready). When done kneading, put the dough in a clean bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel for 10 minutes

4. Preheat oven to 450° F. Meanwhile, cover a 9x13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the dough into the corners of the baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and garlic cloves. Brush the mixture over the top of the dough. Top with shredded Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dough, if desired.

6. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Move breadsticks carefully onto a large cutting board. With a pizza cutter, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 8-10 strips. Serve warm with marinara sauce, if desired.