Pizza Factory Twisted Breadsticks

 I love new years, new starts, resolutions....and January since it is my birth month.  My last few months have been crazy with the holidays, some trips, a wedding, packing and moving houses, then unpacking and moving in a home...and some of my kiddos have been off-track (year-round school) since Christmas. So, besides having wonderful, quality time with the 3 girls, I have also been coloring and picking up banana peels from odd places, and Starburst wrappers from every corner of my house and playing Skipbo (and getting whooped by Gracie) and Aggravation and watching Wizards of Waverly and Shake It Up until my brain is smooshed and shaken up....  So when my friend, that I call Funny Kathy (with a K) sent out a girlfriend email last week, inviting the girlfriends on a girl trip to her house in St. George, this was my reply:

Happy dance! Happy dance! Can you feel the earth shaking???? Yes, yes and more yes.  I'm SOOOOOOO GLAD you are home!!!!!! I'm so in need of girlfriend wisdom and inspiration and truly, some of those breadsticks from that pizza place. I'm not sure which I need the most. 

Well, of course the email was a LOT longer than that, since you know how I tend to ramble....but here is the eerie thing.  Pizza Factory is "that" pizza place... that we always go to in St.George...and they have these magnificent cooked-on-a-dowel breadsticks that are their speciality.  I think there are several Pizza Factories closer but I limited myself to the one in St. George so it's special.

Until now.  Until the eerie thing.  (music from some scary show- Twilight Zone for the elders, Vampire Diaries for the youngins')  Minutes after I posted my trip acceptance, I turned on the television to a local show- Studio 5- and their guest blogger was showing how to make....(more music!!!!)  Pizza Factory Twisted Breadsticks!!!!!  It was beyond out-of-body.  It was "other-worldish."   It was JUST what I need in the middle of freezing weather and near death experiences and did I mention our septic drains are frozen shut...forcing all those wonderful smelling gases back into our home....

I really shouldn't mention THAT smell since I want you to envision the aroma of homemade bread. These are so, so, so killer and the perfect winter comfort food.   (recipe from the blog Purplechocolathome.blogspot.com)


Pizza Factory Twisted Breadsticks


1 T. yeast

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 C. warm water

1 T. oil

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 C. flour

3/4 C. melted butter - divided

3/8 tsp. granulated garlic

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves

1/4 tsp. Season All

1 T. Parmesan cheese

8 - 1/4 inch wooden dowels

cut into 18 inch lengths (craft store)

or 8 - 12 inch skewers

I tried them both ways and decided

I wanted the long wooden dowels like

Pizza Factory uses, but the skewers worked too.



Mix the yeast, sugar and water and

let sit for a couple of minutes to dissolve

the yeast. Add the oil, salt and flour and

knead by hand or with your mixer with a

dough hook for about 5 minutes.


Cover and let rise until double.


Divide dough into 8 equal parts,

about 4 oz. each if you want to use

a kitchen scale.


Lightly flour your hands and roll

the dough into about an 16-18 inch

long "snake". Moisten the top of your

dowel or skewer and begin wrapping

the dough around loosely. Moisten a little where

the breadstick will end too. Pinch to secure

the dough at the top and bottom. Leave about

5 inches at the end of the dowel, if you are using

the longer dowels.

　

Hang over the edge of a 9x13 inch cake

pan with all of the dough inside the pan. (the dough on the top end keeps the dowel anchored on the pan.)

Let them rise until doubled.


Brush with 1/4 C. melted butter.


Heat oven to 375. Bake at 375 for

about 15- 20 minutes or until just golden.


Meanwhile mix the remaining 1/2 C. melted butter,

seasonings and Parmesan cheese.  (We like just butter and fresh grated Parmesan, a titch of garlic)


When the breadsticks come out of the

oven, brush them with the seasoned melted

butter mixture.