Bread sticks: A Perfect Side for Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 Cup +2 Tbs warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 - 1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
     (You could use entirely all-purpose flour if desired)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of softened butter

Garlic Butter Topping
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
1) Measure warm water in a liquid measuring cup. Add yeast and sugar and mix until yeast dissolves. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. The top of the mix should become foamy.

2) In either a stand mixing bowl or regular large bowl, combine 3 Cups of flour and salt. Using the paddle attachment to your stand mixer (or a mixing spoon), mix in the softened butter until it is well combined with the flour mixture.

3) Switch from the paddle to the dough hook and add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour until the dough pulls away from the side and stops to sticking it. The resulting dough should be smooth and elastic, while only being slightly sticky.

4) You can either proof your bread on the counter by transferring the dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with a dry towel or plastic wrap. Allowing it to rest in a warm place until double in size (about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).  OR you can proof the dough in your oven. My oven has a proofing setting which will keep the oven at 100° which I use or you can preheat your oven to 400° for exactly a minute. When proofing your dough in the oven be sure to use a glass or oven safe bowl and instead of covering it, add a pan of water to the rack beneath the dough. Be sure to remove the third rack from your oven to ensure that the dough has enough room to rise.

5) Once risen, punch dough down and divide it into 12 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into a 9in rope and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let them rise again for 1 hour on your counter, or return to your proofing oven.

6) Bake breadsticks at 400° for 10-12 minutes, or until they are just beginning to lightly brown.


7) While the breadsticks bake, mix the garlic butter topping ingredients together. Brush butter mixture over the tops of the hot, cooked bread sticks just after you remove them from the oven. Serve warm. Store in a airtight container.

Recipe makes 12 bread sticks