One-Hour French Bread or Breadsticks

This is a recipe from my cousin's ex-wife.  I started making the French bread many years ago, but in the last few years I've used the recipe mostly for Olive Garden-style breadsticks.

I usually make one loaf of bread (and freeze it for later use or French Toast/casserole), and use half the dough for breadsticks that night.  I haven't tried freezing the breadsticks but they should freeze well too if you make the full batch of breadsticks.

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
5 1/2 cups flour
1 egg white (or 2 Tbsp olive oil)

Preheat oven to 450*F.

In a large bowl, mix warm water and yeast until yeast has dissolved.  Next add sugar, salt and flour. Knead ingredients together till it’s a soft uniform dough.

Now place a thin towel over the bowl with the dough in it and let it rise in a warm place for 15-30 minutes.

If making breadsticks, shift to below instructions now.

Seperate dough into two, and begin shaping dough into long loaves, and place on a baking sheet.

Make slits with a knife and brush with egg white or olive oil. If you are garnishing with herbs or cheese, do so now.

Cover the dough with the towel once more and let rise 5 minutes or so (the longer the better).

Remove towel, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are brown and crusty.

To make the dough into breadsticks, roll the dough out on the counter to 1/4-1/2" thick and cut into long rectangles with a pizza cutter.  Spread the breadsticks out on pans (preferably baking stones) and cover with towels to rise while the oven preheats.  Bake for 5-10 minutes, until barely brown.  Spread with melted butter and garlic salt as soon as you get them from the oven.

If you use the whole recipe this way, you'll end up with lots of breadsticks.  I will often divide up the dough and make one or two small loaves and use the rest for breadsticks.

I love to make these when we have Zupa Toscana.

SOURCE: https://urbanstrawberries.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/french-bread-quick-and-easy/