Italian Garlic Bread Twists Recipes

GARLIC KNOTS

Steps:

• Combine warm water, yeast, and 1/4 tsp sugar and stir--allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
• Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or into a large bowl if you plan on kneading by hand). Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, warm milk, butter, egg and salt. Blend mixture until combined.
• While mixing on low speed, slowly add the flour, mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 - 6 minutes. You may not use all of the flour called for!
• The dough should be soft, very slightly sticky when touched with a clean finger. It should be pulling away from the sides of the mixer.
• Grease a large bowl with cooking spray or a tiny bit of oil. Place the dough in the bottom of the bowl and turn it over once to coat all sides in oil (this helps keep it from drying out.)
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Gently punch the dough down. Add a little flour to your countertop or work surface (or spray it lightly with cooking spray).
• Grab a ball of dough, about the size of a golf ball, and roll it out into a long rope (about 1/2 inch thick and around 9 inches long). Tie the rope into a knot and place it on prepared baking sheet.
• Cover garlic knots loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise again in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10-12 min. or until lightly golden on top.
• While they're baking, make the garlic sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
• After removing knots from oven, while still warm, brush them lightly with garlic sauce.

GARLIC HERB BREAD TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly oil 2 large (17- by 13-inch) baking sheets.
• Stir together rosemary, thyme, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Stir together oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in another bowl.
• Divide dough in half. Keeping half of dough covered with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth), gently roll out other half into a 15-by 10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. (Use your hands to pull corners. If dough is very elastic, cover with towel and let rest about 3 minutes.)
• Sprinkle one half of dough (crosswise) with half of herb mixture, then fold dough in half crosswise and roll lightly to form a roughly 10- by 8-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 9 strips (less than 1 inch wide) with a pizza wheel or a sharp heavy knife. Keeping remaining strips covered with a kitchen towel, twist each strip from both ends and place on baking sheet, arranging twists 1 inch apart. Brush with 1 tablespoon garlic oil and let stand while forming remaining bread twists.
• Roll out and form more bread twists with remaining dough and herb mixture, then arrange on other sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon garlic oil and let stand 5 minutes.
• Bake bread twists, switching position of sheets halfway through, until golden, 20 to 25 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, stir together parsley and remaining 3/4 cup cheese in a shallow baking pan.
• Immediately after baking, brush bread twists with remaining garlic oil, then roll in parsley and cheese until coated. Serve warm or at room temperature.