Directions

In a small bowl sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand until dissolved, about 10 minutes. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer add flour, and salt. Mix for just a few seconds. Add biga, yeast mixture and cool water. 

Beat with dough hook for 20 minutes or knead by hand for 20 minutes.

Add butter and olive oil to bowl and knead again until the dough comes back together. This should take 3 – 5 minutes. Don’t worry that the dough breaks up.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn over to oil top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

On a floured works surface turn out the dough. Press it out into a 9 by  6 inch rectangle. Fold about 1/2 inch of the long edge towards you and continue to roll the dough up into a fat roll. Seal the edge with the heal of your hand. 

Rub olive oil on a clean work surface one and a half times the size of the dough. Place the dough on it. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Get two baking sheets ready.

Using a serrated knife cut the dough crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces. Roll and stretch each piece to about 12 inches. Place pieces on the baking sheets 3/4 inch apart. 

Mist breadsticks generously with water and place baking sheets in the oven. Bake 5 minutes. Mist oven with water. Continue baking until the breadsticks are golden brown and crisp all the way through, 20 – 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

You can also add sesame or poppy seeds to the work surface as you’re rolling the breadsticks out.