Cheese bread sticks

Dough:
1 cup water
2 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. shortening
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. corn meal
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. yeast

other ingredients:
1/3 batch dough
olive oil
parmesan cheese
fine corn meal

Place water, milk, sugar, salt, shortening and olive oil in bowl and dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in yeast, corn meal, and flour and knead to form a soft, but not-too sticky dough (8-10 minutes). Allow to rest, covered with a towel for about 45 minutes.

Deflate dough very gently before using and allow it to rest a further 15 minutes.

You can store dough for up to 2 days in a plastic bag in refrigerator.

Breadsticks:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with corn meal.

Roll out dough on a floured board, about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a pastry wheel or anyway you can, into long strips (10-12 inches long) and roll with tips of fingers so it is cylinder shaped (like a miniature baguette.)

Gently lift bread sticks onto baking sheet. Brush with oil or butter. Sprinkle with cheese (or coarse salt, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, herbs, caraway seeds).

You can also make them thicker and let rise 20 minutes. Paint with an egg wash and sprinkle salt, sesame seeds, or whatever you like on them.

Bake 5-8 minutes until evenly browned. They will crisp as they cool.