We have been doing wine and cheese (minus the wine, due to baby) regularly for the past several Fridays, ever since the beginning of summer when we starting reviving Chad (our starter). More sourdough breads in the house means more discard. Along with the usual suspects of cheese, cured meats, roasted veggies, grapes and nuts, this week I have decided to add a little bit of variety to our bread basket, by way of revisiting this recipe for breadsticks, along with a no-knead focaccia bread.

For us, it makes sense to have a recipe that uses up the usual 200g discard from our starter. To be honest, I don’t think the amount is crucial in this case; for bread sticks. with enough herbs, spices and seasoning (does KFC come to mind for anyone else when hearing that?), it will be tasty.

Ingredients:

• 200g levain (discard)
• 120g all purpose flour
• 30g butter (room temperature)
• 10g olive oil
• 8g honey
• 4g salt
• additional seasoning/inclusions (e.g. seeds, herbs), optional

Tools Required:

• stand mixer with hook attachment
• rolling pin
• pasta roller (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment.
2. Mix on low speed (stir) for 1 minute.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase speed for 4-6 minutes until medium gluten is developed.
4. Rest for 30 minutes, then roll the dough out as thin as you can.
5. Rest for another 30 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 12 even pieces (around 32g each) and roll each piece into a very thin and long breadstick – roughly the length of a half sheet tray. (Note: If have difficulty rolling the dough initially, roll it out a little, let it rest and then do it again until you have reached the desired length).
7. Rest again for 2 hours.
8. Bake at 325°F for roughly 30-40 minutes.

Variations:

• To make crackers, follow the same steps but instead of dividing and shaping, simply roll the dough out as thin as possible (a pasta maker helps) and cut (or break after baking).
• For inclusions, you can add any dried herbs, spices and seeds (we like the Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel spice).

FAQs, Tips, Troubleshooting:

• On inclusions: the method to incorporate them will vary depending on what it is. You might add it straight into the dough when mixing, with a the lamination, or use it to coat the breadsticks when shaped.
• On temperature: the optimal temperature and time may vary depending on your oven and your inclusions.