Adapted from a recipe found (Sep 2001) on
bread.allrecipes.com
submitted by Christa Rose.
Photos illustrating each step can be found elsewhere on this website.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal balls of dough. Divide each ball into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope. Roll each rope into longer, thinner, ropes. Repeat rolling each piece, until your pieces are at least 8 inches long. Twist into pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt, if desired (see below). Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.
Optional: Dip hot pretzel in melted butter and coat with a garlic/parmesan mixture, or (using unsalted prezel) dip in melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
Makes 48 little pretzels.
Mar. 2002. These pretzels were a hit at a potluck party. We could fit about 21 pretzels onto our cookie sheets. We saved out a few and refrigerated them, and it didn't seem to take any longer to cook them when they come from the fridge.