Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

You guys, I made these. From scratch. Including the crust. It was surprisingly easy. I just wish I had a rolling pin because getting it to lay flat in a nice looking circle was a chore - and it still wasn't very circular. It's another Pinterest recipe via Lauren's Latest. They are soooo good.

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey {or sugar}
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup…depending on the heat & humidity - I used 2 1/2 cups - also, make sure it's bread flour}

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix.

Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn’t stick to your hands.

Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes (I don't have a mixer, so I kneaded it by hand). Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes - that seems to be the magical number. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with and the bowl should be clean.

Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Now you can turn this dough into anything your little heart desires.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks
yield: 1- 12 inch pie

Ingredients:
1/2 recipe Fail-Proof Pizza Dough
2 tablespoons softened salted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff!}
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
{salt & pepper, if desired}

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. {If you don’t have a pizza stone, use an upside down cookie sheet}
Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread pizza dough out into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper {this makes it easier to transfer to the pizza stone}*
Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, if desired {optional}.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool 1-2 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, with marinara. My roommates and myself all loved them!


*Be careful, the parchment paper is a beast to get off when it's done. If you find a way to transfer without the parchment paper, please, do tell.