Snacks/soft pretzels

Serves: 12

Active Time: 50 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

From: Fresh May/June 2009

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)

2 tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water (110f, bath water)

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

4 cups all purpose flour, plus additional if needed

1/2 tsp. olive or canola oil

Baking Soda Bath

1/3 cup baking soda

4 cups warm water

Directions

Step 1

Place yeast, sugar and warm water in large mixing bowl and stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.

Step 2

In another bowl whisk 1 1/2 tsp. salt with flour. Add to yeast mixture 1 cup at a time and mix until dough forms. Dust work surface with flour, and knead for 8-10 minutes. Add flour as needed, slight stickiness is OK.

Step 3

Wipe any dough from mixing bowl then add oil to bowl. Use a paper towel to spread it around, coating the surface. Form the dough into a ball and place it in bowl. Cover bowl loosely with plastic and let dough rise in warm place for 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Step 4

Punch down dough to remove excess bubbles and roll into a ball. Divide ball into 12 equal pieces and place on work surface. Rinse bowl make baking soda bath by mixing water with baking soda. Set aside.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 425f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray sheets with vegetable cooking spray.

Step 6

To form a traditional pretzel shape roll each piece of dough into a snake 22 inches long. Form a letter 'u', then cross the ends over each other once then twice to form a twist. Pull the ends down attaching it to the bottom pinching the dough so that it sticks together. Or you can make any other shape you like - because clearly you would not have done this if we hadn't said it was OK. You may also experiment with different sizes! Who would have guessed?!?!

Step 7

Stir soda bath. Dip pretzels one at a time into mixture, then blot on a kitchen towel. Place 6 pretzels on each baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/8 tsp. salt and bake for 12 minutes, or until pretzels are golden. Serve immediately, may be frozen, heat for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Variations

Pizza

Mix 2 tbsp. tomato paste with the water. Add 1/2 tsp. oregano and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with the flour. Sprinkle pretzels with grated Parmesan.

Garlic Sesame

Add 1/2 tsp. garlic powder to flour. Sprinkle pretzels with sesame seeds.

Onion Poppy Seed

Add 1/2 tsp. onion powder to flour. Sprinkle pretzels with poppy seeds.