Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

twisty sista' breadsticks

(1 rating)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Gina Davis
Cedar Bluff, VA

I have never really been happy with breadstick recipes for some reason. Either they were too crunchy or too much like rolls. So, the best I could figure out was to come up with my own. They are called Twisty Sista because when my daughters were young, they used to twist them for me, and they invented a little song about how they were Twisty Sistas doing the twist dance and all. BUT my son, who is the oldest, had to pick on them singing, "No, they were just twisted." Lol, I miss them days a lot! They are grown, with babies of their own now, so I will have new twisters!!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

These breadsticks make your kitchen smell amazing while baking. They are slightly crisp outside and pillowy soft inside. Incorporating basil into the dough adds a slight basil flavor but does not overpower the bread. Roasted garlic, though, does add robust flavor. We highly recommend roasting your own. You can add extra roasted garlic to the melted butter for more flavor. These were great dipped in marinara sauce. But, you could enjoy them with soup, a pasta dish or a salad.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
prep time 2 Hr
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For twisty sista' breadsticks

  • ROASTED GARLIC
  • 1 lg
    head of garlic
  • 1 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • DOUGH
  • 1 c
    warm water (110 to 115 degree)
  • 1/2
    warm milk
  • 2 1/4 tsp
    active dry yeast (you can use rapid rise just reduce your raise times)
  • 1 Tbsp
    sugar
  • 3 1/2-4 c
    bread flour or all-purpose
  • 2 Tbsp
    roasted garlic; can also substitute minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh basil or 2 tbsp dried
  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • coarse salt (I use Kosher)
  • fresh coarse ground black pepper
  • TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL)
  • 1/2 stick
    butter, melted
  • shredded cheese (use what you like)
  • sesame seeds
  • poppy seeds
  • anything you like on bread sticks

How To Make twisty sista' breadsticks

  • Roasting a head of garlic.
    1
    To roast garlic, cut the top off to expose cloves. Lightly salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Place in a small baking dish or pan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
  • Sugar, yeast, milk, and milk in a bowl.
    2
    To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the sugar, yeast, warm water, and warm milk. I just add my milk and water together and warm it in the microwave for about 25 seconds. You want your liquids at 110 to 120 degrees. (You can use 1 1/2 water if you do not want to use any milk product.) Stir it around and then let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. (If your yeast does not bloom you might want to start again this means it died somewhere along the way.)
  • Adding oil to the bloomed yeast.
    3
    Once the yeast has bloomed add olive oil and give it a quick stir.
  • Flour, salt, garlic, and basil added to the bowl.
    4
    Add flour, salt, garlic, and basil.
  • Mixing ingredients with a dough hook.
    5
    Mix by hand or with a dough hook for 1 minute. Once it is all combined mix by hand or with your dough hook for 7 minutes.
  • Dough mixed to the proper consistency.
    6
    If the dough is wet add a couple of tablespoons of flour at a time until it pulls together. It will be soft and tacky but not super sticky. (It will stick to your hands but pull off clean.) The dough will slowly spring back when poked with a finger.
  • Dough in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
    7
    Spray or oil a large bowl with cooking spray or oil. Shape dough into a ball and place in mixing bowl. Spray dough with cooking spray or rub with oil. (I use Pam Olive Oil Spray.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in size (this takes 1 - 2 hours). If in question mark the outside of your bowl with a marker and that gives you a starting point.
  • Punching down the risen dough.
    8
    Once the dough has doubled punch it down to release the air (just make a fist and push into the dough 2 to 3 times).
  • Dough divided into two bowls.
    9
    Divide the dough into two equal balls and let rest in separate bowls or on the countertop covered with a towel for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or you can use silicone baking mats you can also spray lightly with cooking spray or dust lightly with cornmeal. Just set the pans to the side.
  • Dough rolled into a rectangle.
    10
    Take balls of dough and pat or roll it out into roughly a 6x10 rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Top each rectangle with melted butter, salt, and cracked pepper. Using a pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut rectangles into long strips about 1.5 inches in width. Then, twist each strip (I have found the easiest way to do this is to just use the palm of your hand and roll in opposite directions on the countertop). Or you can just leave them un-twisted. :)
  • Twisted breadsticks on a baking sheet.
    11
    Once the breadsticks are twisted, place them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Baking the breadsticks.
    12
    Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 - 18 minutes.
  • Topping the breadsticks and continuing to bake.
    13
    Remove from oven and push the breadsticks together. Top with your cheeses and toppings. Return to oven for 4 - 6 minutes until cheese is nice and melted. Don't want toppings? Just bake for 20 - 25 minutes and brush with butter when done.
  • 14
    I am sorry I can not tell you how these keep as leftovers they never make it past the dinner table except in someones belly lol.
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