MAKES 18 BREADTWISTS
We offer these soft, baked breadtwists to our guests as beginning nibbles. They are also wonderful alongside soup or sandpots, where a bit of fragrant bread is welcome. I doubt there is any traceable precedent for them in Chinese cookbooks. However, I’d wager that some northern Chinese bread maker made something similar at one time, and that they’re not merely a product of my lone, bread-loving imagination.
FOR THE SPONGE:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup warm (110°F) water
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3¼ to 3½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup thinly cut green and white scallion rings
2 teaspoons Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
2 tablespoons Ma-La Oil (page 17)
1 tablespoon Chili-Lemon Oil (page 12)
1 cup cold water
1 large egg whisked with 1 large egg yolk, for the egg wash
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds combined with 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, for garnish
1. Make the sponge: In a medium-size bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour for the sponge and stir to blend. Seal airtight with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm (70° to 85°F) spot until the mixture begins to rise, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. To complete the dough: Combine 3¼ cups flour, the scallion rings, and pepper-salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat paddle. Stir the oils and water into the sponge, then scrape the sponge into the mixer bowl. Blend on low speed until the dough comes together in a soft mass, 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is too wet and sticks badly to the paddle, sprinkle in a bit more flour to make it behave. The dough, when properly mixed, will be a bit ragged, not smooth.
3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured board. Add to it any unincorporated bits from the bowl, then knead gently to blend, 8 to 10 times. Don’t get aerobic or the dough will become elastic. Pat the dough into a brick, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. Lightly roll the dough into a rectangle 18 inches long, about 6 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
5. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Placing a ruler on the long side to guide you, cut the dough crosswise into 18 strips each 1 inch wide. With your palms, roll the first strip into a thin rope 20 inches long. Fold the rope in half to double it, then twist 3 or 4 times to form a breadtwist. Put the breadtwist aside on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough strips, placing the finished breadtwists 1½ inches apart.
6. Brush the tops and exposed sides of the breadtwists with the egg wash. Sprinkle the tops lightly with the sesame seeds. Put the baking sheets aside in a warm (70° to 85°F) spot until the breadtwists rise to half again their size, 30 to 45 minutes.
7. While the breadtwists are rising, preheat the oven to 400°. Move the racks to divide the oven into even thirds.
8. Bake the breadtwists until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Midway through baking, rotate the trays front to back and between the racks to ensure even coloring.
9. Serve the breadtwists freshly baked. Or allow to cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate overnight. Let come to room temperature before reheating. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot but not crispy or dry, 4 to 5 minutes.