Olive – Herb – Parmesan Breadsticks

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 360 g flour
• 21 g yeast, fresh
• 125 ml water
• 125 ml milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 35 g black olives
• 35 g flour
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 tsp dried thyme or dried oregano
• 30 g Parmesan, grated
• Olive oil, for brushing

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 14 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 9 minutes

a fine snack

Heat the water and milk. Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, mix the yeast with a pinch of sugar and some of the water/milk mixture. Pour it into the well and stir it into the flour with your finger. Add the salt and olive oil to the edge of the flour. Cut the olives into very small pieces. Place in a deep plate and mix with the flour, basil, thyme, or oregano. Add this mixture to the other bowl and knead with the remaining water/milk to form a yeast dough. It should be a soft, non-sticky dough. Add a little more flour if necessary; my instructions are spot on. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. It should have increased in volume considerably. In the meantime, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. When the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Knead it briefly again and roll it out into a 26×52 cm rectangle. Brush this thinly with a little olive oil and sprinkle it evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Then, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough from the short side into strips about 2-2.5 cm wide. I now take each strip individually, from the top up to the middle, twisting it as I go, then loosening the bottom part of the strip. I then twist this in the opposite direction to form a rope, which I place on the baking sheet. Continue in this way until all the strips are used. Cover them with a damp cloth and let them rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 220°C. Bake the breadsticks for about 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. I always make 25 strips. They’re delicious as a snack between meals or with a nice glass of wine. They’re also ideal for a party.