Olive oil and fennel bread sticks

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Title: Olive oil and fennel bread sticks
Categories: Breads
Yield: 3 Dozen

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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