Salzstangen

Post Reply
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Salzstangen

Post by Chuckwagon » Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:24

If you think like me, you might believe that a great slice of sausage goes wonderfully with a tasty slice of cheese and a bit of special bread. I like to substitute soft, chewy, Swiss Breadsticks called Salzstangen, for the recipe twisted into Pretzels called Salzbrezeln. It's the perfect snack with kabanosy. I hope you enjoy my Swiss family's...

Salzbrezeln Pretzels
(Swiss Salted Pretzels)

2 tspn. dry yeast
1-1/4 cups water
3-3/4 cups bread flour
1-1/2 tspn. salt
egg glaze (see below)
sesame seeds (or poppy seeds)
coarse salt for topping

Sprinkle the yeast into 1/2 cup of water in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast. Draw enough of the flour into the dissolved yeast to form a soft paste. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and allow it to become frothy and risen in about 20 minutes. Next, mix in the flour, then stir in the remaining water to form a stiff, sticky dough. Now, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it's smooth and elastic, in about 10 minutes. Place the dough into a bowl and cover it with a dishtowel. Allow it to rise until it has doubled in size, in about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Punch it down, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into eight pieces. Shape each piece into a round roll and then into an oval. Roll each oval backward and forward with your fingers, along the dough, until it forms a strip about 16 inches long and is 1 inch thick in the middle and 1/4 inch at each end. Yes, it`s four times thicker in the middle than the ends! To shape the dough, bring the ends together below the thick center. Twist the strands together once at the midpoint, then tuck the ends into the thick centers, creating the classic pretzel twisted appearance. Place the pretzels on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with a dishtowel. Proof until each piece has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. An alternate method for "Salzstangen" (salted breadsticks) is to divide the dough initially into two equal pieces, then roll each piece into a 12" square. Cut each square in half diagonally, then in half again to form eight triangles. Starting at the widest end, roll up each triangle tightly like a cigar. Place the rolled sticks on two lightly floured baking sheets and cover with a dishtowel. Proof until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Make an egg glaze by mixing together, 1 egg, 1 tblspn. water, and a pinch of salt. Brush the egg glaze over each pretzel. For an extra golden sheen, allow the first egg glaze to dry, then apply a second layer. While it is still moist, sprinkle with coarse salt and sesame or poppy seeds. Bake in a preheated 425°F. (236°C.) oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In Switzerland, one may have his beer served with soft (chewy) or hard (crisp) salted pretzels. If you prefer your pretzels hard and crisp, simply omit the final rising after the dough has been shaped.

Best wishes, Chuckwagon
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Thu Mar 01, 2012 08:45, edited 1 time in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
Trosky
User
User
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 16:31
Location: Ohio

Post by Trosky » Tue Nov 23, 2010 19:48

Hey CW your recipe looks like a keeper. I'll have to see if I can make some soon. Should go well with a new mustard I picked up in Cleveland and the cheese I'm planing to smoke. Thanks for sharing, Trosky
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Nov 24, 2010 06:43

Hi Trosky,
What is the Cleveland mustard like? Have you ever tried making your own? And what kind of cheese are you smokin' pard? Hope you enjoy the pretzels. Have a great Thanksgiving! :smile:

Best wishes, Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
Trosky
User
User
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 16:31
Location: Ohio

Post by Trosky » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:57

Hi CW,It,s not a Cleveland mustard but a Polish one that I can only buy in Cleveland.
Image
If you can get some of this try it out it's very good. A little sweet at first then comes the heat it will clear your sinuses. Never tried to make my own but if I could make mustard like this I would. I was thinking about smoking some cheddar and maybe some provolone not much else around here, most people around here think that "good" cheese comes in a square log wrapped in foil and put into a yellow cardboard box and starts with the letter "V". I'll have to take a little road-trip and see what looks good. You have a great Thanksgiving.
Trosky
Post Reply