Little Rolls and Breadsticks
Freshly baked bread with butter is about as good as it gets. I have made many breads from scratch in my life, but I wanted to show Shorey an easy way to do it using pizza dough, which is readily available in supermarkets. The dough can be shaped into a long, flat bread or baguette-style bread or, as in this recipe, into small individual rolls and breadsticks, each weighing about 2 ounces.
We used one topping for the rolls and another for the sticks. We flavored the rolls with smoked paprika, herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning), and coarse salt, while we sprinkled the sticks with garlic powder, black pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. You can create your own toppings or just cook the rolls and sticks plain. These are made in minutes, then allowed to rise for 30 minutes before baking.
Makes 6 rolls and 6 breadsticks
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds store-bought pizza dough
- For the rolls
- ½ teaspoon Spanish smoked (or regular) paprika
- ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
- For the sticks
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Line a jelly-roll pan (12 by 17 inches) with aluminum foil. Pour the olive oil onto the foil-lined sheet and spread it over the foil.
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half. Cut one of the halves into 6 pieces for the rolls. Flatten the other half of the dough into a square with your fingers and cut it into 6 strips.
For the rolls: Shape the pieces of dough by pressing on them with your hands in a circular motion. Press the formed rolls into the oil on the foil-lined sheet, then flip them over so they are oiled on both sides. Arrange the rolls at least 1 inch apart on one half of the pan. Sprinkle with the paprika, herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning), and coarse salt.
For the breadsticks: Pull on the strips of dough to make sticks about the width of the pan and roll them on the pan so they are coated with the oil, then arrange them about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the sticks with the garlic powder, pepper, and Parmesan.
Cover the pan with an upside-down jelly-roll pan and let the dough proof for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425 degrees.
When the dough is ready, remove the top pan and place the baking pan in the oven. Cook the breadsticks for 20 to 25 minutes and the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy.
