Potato Flake Sourdough Cheese Breadsticks
Potato flake sourdough cheese breadsticks are a delicious and easy side dish to any Italian dinner night. They are perfect for family gatherings, casual dinners, or just as a tasty appetizer. The combination of the soft yet crispy bread, gooey cheese, and garlic butter topping is irresistible.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment Paper
- 9” round metal pan or 9x9 metal pan
- Pizza Cutter
- Basting brush
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups Bread Flour
- ⅓ to ⅔ cups Warm Water
- ¼ cup Active Potato Flake Starter
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Topping:
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
- 4 Tablespoons Butter If using unsalted butter add a bit of salt into the butter mixture.
- 3/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Using your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, begin by adding all the ingredients for the dough into your stand mixer bowl. Start with ⅓ cup of warm water. As the dough comes together, add more water, a little bit at a time, until you have a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom. Typically, this will be about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon of water, but this can vary.
- Once the dough has pulled from the sides of the bowl, turn off the mixer. Scrape the dough off the hook and shape it into a ball. Lightly oil the dough with olive oil by pouring a bit in the bowl and turning the dough over until it is lightly coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. Let the dough rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, which can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours.
- Placing the dough in a warm place, such as an oven turned off with just the light on, can speed up the rise time.
- Line your metal pan with parchment paper and oil the sides to prevent sticking.
- After the first rise, remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down to remove air bubbles. Avoid using a floured surface or any additional flour unless absolutely necessary.
- Shape it into a ball again, lightly cover it with olive oil, and place it in a parchment lined and oiled 9" metal pan. This is the pan you will be baking it in. Cover with plastic wrap and let is rest and rise a bit for about 2-3 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Gently shape the dough by pressing and stretching it to the edges. If there are any large air bubbles, pop them with a toothpick, but some air bubbles are okay.
- Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and mix with ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder. Baste half of the garlic butter mixture on top of the dough and sprinkle with half of the Italian seasoning. Cover the dough with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the 400-degree oven for 12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. If it needs more browning, turn on the broil for 1 minute, keeping a close eye to prevent burning.
- Remove the breadsticks from the oven and baste with the remaining garlic butter mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the Italian seasoning on top. Carefully remove from the pan and slice into 12 cheese sticks using a pizza cutter. Dip in some homemade pizza sauce and enjoy!
- You can enjoy them fresh out of the oven or store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh for the next day. Reheat them in the oven by covering the with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Notes
Water Amount: My dough usually comes together with about 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of warm water, but this can vary based on your location, weather, and flour. Always begin with the lesser amount and add more as needed. In summer or humid environments, you may need less water, while in winter or dry climates, you may need more.
Kneading: Don’t over-knead the dough, as this can result in tough breadsticks. Stop kneading once the dough pulls from the sides of the mixer bowl.
Hydration: Add the water slowly, as hydration levels depend on many factors and can change from one bake to another.
Rise time: The rise time can vary significantly depending on the temperature and humidity of your environment. If you find that your dough is taking longer to rise, consider placing it in a warm oven (turned off) with just the oven light on to create a cozy environment for the dough to rise. This method works well during the winter months when room temperature might not be warm enough.
During the second rise, the dough's structure develops, ensuring a light and airy texture. Covering the dough with plastic wrap during rising stages helps maintain moisture. Using parchment paper in the pan prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier. A pizza cutter is perfect for slicing the final product into 12 breadsticks, and a basting brush ensures even distribution of the garlic butter mixture.