Cheese Stuffed Bread Sticks - Audry, Leo & Alyssa

Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks

Makes about 16 breadsticks

16 oz part-skim mozzarella - Do not substitute whole milk cheese
2 pounds pizza dough - or the equivalent dough needed for two pizzas, store bought or homemade
Extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic powder
Oregano
Kosher salt
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Tomato sauce for dipping

Heat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment.

Slice the mozzarella into skinny logs (roughly 1/4-inch width). Dust the work surface with flour and turn the dough out on top. Slice the ball in half so you're working with one pound of dough at a time. Set the other half aside.

Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 8" tall by 16" wide and 1/4" thick. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 10 minutes and then try rolling again.

Slice the dough into strips 2" wide by 8" tall. Lay a line of mozzarella down the middle of each strip. Fold the strip over on the cheese and pinch it tightly to seal the cheese inside. Gently roll it a few times against the work surface to even it out. Repeat with remaining strips.

Transfer the bread sticks to the baking sheet and let them rise for a half hour. While the first batch is rising, prepare the second batch with the remaining pound of pizza dough.

When ready to bake, brush the bread sticks with olive oil and sprinkle them generously with garlic powder, oregano, salt, and lastly, parmesan cheese. Place the risen bread sticks into the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 350°. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Repeat with the second sheet of bread sticks.

Let the bread sticks cool for five minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve warm with tomato sauce for dipping. Bread sticks are best eaten right away, but leftovers can be kept refrigerated for three days and re-warmed for 30 seconds in a microwave.