INGREDIENTS

• 750g tomato and garlic flour + some plain flour for dusting
• 1 tbs instant dried yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• olive oil (about 75 ml)
• 450 ml lukewarm water or milk (I used half milk half water)

EQUIPMENT

• 2 baking trays lined with baking paper
• large mixing bowl
• kitchen towel to cover the dough

METHOD

1. Mix flour, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Gradually stir in milk/water and enough olive oil to easily mix all the dry ingredients.
3. Work the dough on floured surface for about 15 minutes until it is smooth and stretchy.
4. Return dough to the bowl, cover with kitchen towel and leave in a warm place to grow for about 1-1½ hours, it should double the size.
5. Remove dough from the bowl and knock it back on floured surface. Divide it into about 16 pieces.
6. Share each piece into 3, shape into long rolls that you will be able to plait. Stretch the plait once done and place across the baking tray. (You should be able to fit 6 of them on each tray.)
7. Bake in the oven preheated to 180°C (356°F) and bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Enjoy while still fresh with butter or as a side, I served it with Spinach, Leek, Mushroom and Potato Soup.

Recipe makes 12 large bread sticks.

With thanks to Sylwia for the flour (from her local Wantage mill).  I will be sure to prepare some kind of soup with those bread sticks next time she visits :)

NOTES

Baked bread sticks taste still good the next day if stored in airtight container / bag.

If you like sour type of bread once all ingredients are mixed up and the dough has been growing for 1-1½ hours (step 5) cover it with cling film (pierced couple of times) or in a container with cover (lid on but not closed properly) and place in the fridge overnight. Next day remove the dough from the fridge and continue making the bread sticks (step 6).

If you don’t have time just skip step 6, diving the dough into 16 pieces and make long bread sticks out of them instead of plaits, they will be the same delicious.