recipe

Tasty Twisted Pizza Sticks

Total time: 45 mins. + leavening time (120 mins.)

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 6-8

Join the new Cookist channel on WhatsApp

By Jennifer Philipp

Pizza lovers will rejoice at these twisted pizza sticks that are full of tomato sauce and cheese. If you are looking for a flavorful bread to serve as a precursor to a meal or alongside a dinner, these pizza sticks are wonderful because everyone will love them.

These pizza sticks require a yeast-based dough; you begin by making a dough with milk, water, olive oil, egg, sugar, yeast, flour, and salt. Then, once it doubles in bulk, it gets layered with a filling of cheese, parsley, and tomato sauce before being cut into sticks, twisted, and baked in the oven.

What are Twisted Pizza Sticks?

These twisted pizza sticks are a type of breadstick that includes pizza flavors. Basically, the dough is divided into two rectangles and one is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and parsley before being topped with the other rectangle of dough. Then, the assembled dough gets cut into strips which are then twisted into the pizza sticks. Similar to traditional pizza dough, these pizza sticks requires a yeast-based dough which has a wonderful flavor!

Pro Tips

Kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic will help create tender and fluffy pizza sticks.
Make sure that your yeast is fresh and still active before beginning this recipe.
When resting the dough, if you find that it is rising slowly, you may need to move it to a warmer location in your home to speed things up.
You will know the pizza sticks are baked when they are puffed up and golden.
Feel free to use other herbs in the filling, such as fresh basil or oregano.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Add Other Ingredients to the Filling?

Yes, definitely! Similar to traditional pizza, the sky is the limit regarding what you can include in your pizza sticks. Consider adding pepperoni slices, cooked diced vegetables (like mushrooms or bell peppers), or sliced olives to the filling. You could also sprinkle the pizza sticks with parmesan is you would like the outside to have a more caramelized texture and flavor.

What is the Ideal Temperature for the Milk and Water for Dough?

The best temperature for the milk and water is around 100 F (37.7 C).

What Type of Cheese Should Be Used in the Pizza Stick Filling?

The best choice of cheese is mozzarella as that is most traditional with pizza. However, you could really use any cheese that you enjoy that melts well.

How to Store Twisted Pizza Sticks

Leftover pizza sticks should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge, and they should stay fresh for up to 3 or 4 days.

However, you could also freeze them in a sealed bag in the freezer for up to 3 months for longer storage if desired.

Ingredients

for the dough

warm milk

3/4 cup

Warm water

3/4 cup

Olive oil

1/2 cup

egg

sugar

1 tbsp

Dry yeast

7 grams

all-purpose flour

2 3/4 cups

salt

1 1/3 tsp

for the filling

Tomato paste

2 tbsp

cheese

2 1/2 cups

parsley

for the brushing

Melted butter

egg yolk

How to Make Twisted Pizza Sticks

Step 1

For the dough, in a bowl, mix the milk with the water, olive oil, egg, sugar, and yeast. Add the flour and salt, and stir until combined.

Step 2

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Cover it and set it aside until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Step 3

Punch down the dough to remove the air. Divide it into two portions and roll them out into rectangles.

Step 4

Spread one rectangle with the tomato sauce and sprinkle it with the cheese and parsley.

Step 5

Place the other dough on top and trim the edges. Cut the assembled dough into strips and brush them with butter.

Step 6

Press two strips together, and twist them. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush them with the egg yolk. Bake them in a 350 F (180 C) oven for 20 minutes.

Step 7

Serve immediately!