Butter and Salt Breadsticks

How to prepare butter and salt breadsticks

1. In a small cup, dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in warm water. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes until you see foam on top.
2. Place the starter from above, flour, powdered milk, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer. Knead for 3 minutes until the dough is smooth.
3. Then set the mixer for another 3 minutes, and during this time gradually add pieces of soft butter. Add each portion after the previous one has been incorporated.
4. Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (24-26C; I placed it near a running radiator) for 1 hour, until well risen.
5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces on a work surface dusted with a little flour. Shape into balls and then gently roll on the surface to form an elongated, log shape.
6. Roll out each log as thin as possible, moving the rolling pin in only one direction (back and forth) and pulling the opposite end. You will get a sheet with one narrower end and the one toward you wider (like a teardrop; see photo 1 below).
8. Cut the butter into 8 equal slices as wide as the larger end of your sheet. Place a butter stick on the wide end and roll up while pulling on the thin tip.
9. Place the formed breadsticks on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Spray water over the breadsticks and parchment paper using a spray bottle. If you don't have one, you can brush with a silicone brush dipped in water several times. Generously sprinkle salt flakes along the entire length of the breadsticks.
10. Place the tray in a bag and let rise until the breadsticks puff up nicely (about 1 hour).
11. Preheat the oven to 250C. Put the tray in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 190C. Let the breadsticks bake for 15-20 minutes, until pleasantly golden. Remove the tray from the oven and brush the breadsticks (avoid the salted area) with the butter that has dripped into the tray.
    * if not enough butter has dripped into the tray, melt 20g butter in a small dish and brush them
12. They are best on the day they were baked and the next day. They can be reheated in an air fryer (3 minutes at 160C). They are ideal with milk, buttermilk, or sliced in half and filled with cream cheese or thin strips of parmesan or pecorino.

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