Bread Sticks Detour

I love Pocky. You know, those crispy cookie sticks dipped in chocolate and sold at every Asian foods market you’ll ever encounter. They’re delicious! And also poison for people with a gluten allergy. Yesterday, I decided I’d had enough years without Pocky and it was time to make it myself.

I detour easily.

In the midst of looking for a suitable Pocky dough recipe base, I somehow ended up making bread sticks instead. Rolled in chocolate, these bread sticks do make a rather convincing Pocky substitute; however, they’re absolutely perfect as plain breadsticks for all your savory dipping, munching, and crunching needs. Dust them in salt and black pepper before baking and they’re even better. The same dough, rolled out flat and brushed with olive oil and herbs or cheese, also yields delicious flat bread.

The real gluten-free Pocky recipe will have to wait. I’m too busy munching on bread sticks.

Bread Sticks

Bread Sticks

Makes about 40

1 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup amaranth flour

1/2 cup potato flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

3/4 tsp salt

1 packet quick rise yeast

3 eggs

1/2 cup warm water (more as needed)

1 Tbls olive oil

Mix together all flours, tapioca starch, salt, and yeast. Warm water to about 120 - 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat eggs and olive oil together well. Add warm water to flour mixture and mix till crumbly. Add egg mixture and mix till dough forms mostly into a ball. (Use more warm water as needed to clump dough.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Dust cookie sheet with coarse cornmeal. Working with about 2 tsp of dough at a time, roll into long 1/4-inch thick snakes. Arrange on cookie sheet so they aren’t touching. Bend into shapes if so desired. Dip finger tips into olive oil and run them lightly down the surface of each bread stick. Bake about 20 minutes, or until well-browned and crisp.