Parmesan Breadsticks

Why this recipe works The best part about going to an Italian American restaurant might be the Parmesan breadsticks. Our goal was to re-create these flavorful, golden breadsticks—and serve them warm and fresh at home. First, we wanted to ensure that the flavor of our breadsticks’ namesake really came through. In addition to sprinkling Parmesan on top, we mixed some into the dough for a rich cheese taste that wasn’t just an afterthought. Adding a small amount of onion powder to our dough enhanced the nutty taste of the cheese and further boosted the savory appeal. Nailing down the perfect texture proved more complex. We wanted chewy yet soft-crumbed breadsticks, so we used all-purpose flour rather than higher-protein bread flour. But we found that our sticks were still too tough and dry inside. Our first thought, adding more water to the dough, left us with a sticky mess that was too difficult to shape. Doubling the amount of extra-virgin olive oil in the dough from 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup was the perfect solution. The oil acted as a tenderizer and coated the gluten strands, preventing them from sticking to one another and forming a strong gluten network. This created an easy-to-shape dough that baked up with a soft crumb. We set our oven to 500 degrees to ensure that our breadsticks took on a nice golden hue in the short time required to cook them through. Brushing our breadsticks with an egg-and-oil wash enhanced browning and flavor, while making the exterior chewy, not crunchy. Breadsticks can be stored in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Wrapped in aluminum foil before being placed in the bag, the breadsticks can be frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, wrap the breadsticks (thawed if frozen) in foil, place them on baking sheet, and bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

MAKES: 18 breadsticks

RISING TIME: 1½ to 2 hours

BAKING TIME: 12 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3 to 3½ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: 2 rimmed baking sheets, pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups (20 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1½ cups (12 ounces) water, room temperature
• ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1½ cups)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and onion powder.
2. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, combine water and oil. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and there are no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, about 8 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup at a time, mixing until mostly incorporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand until the Parmesan is evenly distributed and the dough forms a smooth, round ball, for about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, for 1 to 1½ hours. (If refrigerating the dough, it can be stored for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.)
4. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide it in half. Stretch each half into a 9-inch log, then cut each log into 9 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each. Cover the pieces loosely with greased plastic wrap.
5. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keeping the remaining pieces covered), form each piece into a rough ball by stretching the dough around your thumbs and pinching the edges together so that the top is smooth. Place each ball seam side down on the clean counter and, using your cupped hand, drag it in small circles until the dough feels taut and round. Cover the balls loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rest for 30 minutes.
6. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with greased parchment paper. Stretch and roll each dough ball into an 8-inch-long cylinder. Using a back and forth motion, roll the ends of the cylinder under your palms to form rounded points.
7. Arrange the breadsticks on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1½ inches apart. Cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rise until nearly doubled in size and the dough springs back minimally when gently poked with your knuckle, for about 30 minutes.
8. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently brush the breadsticks with an egg mixture and sprinkle them with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until golden brown, for 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer the breadsticks to a wire rack and let them cool for 15 minutes. Serve them warm.

VARIATIONS:

ASIAGO AND BLACK PEPPER BREADSTICKS

• Use the small holes of a box grater to shred the Asiago.
• Add 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper to flour mixture in step 1. Substitute 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese for Parmesan; add ½ cup cheese to dough in step 2 and sprinkle breadsticks with remaining ½ cup cheese before baking in step 8.

PECORINO AND MIXED HERB BREADSTICKS 

• Substitute 1½ cups grated Pecorino Romano for Parmesan. Combine 1 cup Pecorino, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, and 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano in bowl before adding to dough in step 2.