Olive Oil And Fennel Bread Sticks

3/4 c Warm water

3/4 c Warm beer

1 pt Dry yeast

3/4 c Olive oil( good quality! )

1 tb Fennel seeds

1 1/2 ts Salt

4 1/2 c Flour( approx )

Glaze: 1 Egg

1 tb Water

I love the taste of fennel and extra virgin olive oil. Dissolve yeast in warm water and warm beer for 10 minutes or until very foamy. Add olive oil, salt and fennel seeds. Mix in 3 1/2 cups flour and knead until smooth and elastic adding more flour as needed to prevent stickiness.Place dough in oiled bowl, cover and let rise double. Punch down dough and divide into 12 balls and divide each ball into 4 pieces. Roll each

piece into a long rope and place on greased baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Brush with egg glaze.Bake immediately, 350 until golden about 30 minutes. Note: I also like to sprinkle on rosemary, anise or other seeds on the dough.Plus I make my bread sticks larger by dividing the 12 balls of dough in 2 or 3 pieces instead of 4. And I also like to brush on extra virgin olive oil instead of the egg wash over the breadsticks prior to baking them.then you have to turn them over during baking and brush more oil on them to brown the other side. I like the taste good olive oil gives!
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