Garlic Herb Bread Twists with Parmesan Cheese and Easy Marinara Dipping Sauce

Grub-alicious dunk-alicious snack food here.  “Grub-alicious!” “Dunk-alicious!” Another sophisticated way to describe these bread twists is, “better than any bread stick I’ve ever had/will ever have again.”

 

Clearly, I’m passionate about my snack time. These beauties won’t disappoint.  Perfect for kids and grown-up kids alike.  All the little nooks and twists are coated in garlic oil and packed with parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and spicy red pepper flakes.  And, the red sauce … the perfect accompaniment.

 

Make some garlic oil, roll out your dough, slather with a combination of parmesan cheese, herbs and red pepper flakes, fold-cut-twist-bake, another layer of garlic oil, and another dousing of glorious cheese.  I know it seems like a lot of steps, but it couldn’t be simpler.  Bread sticks on steroids is what I have going on.  Twisty-Cheesy-Herby-Spicy-Saucy-Dunkable!

A twist in one hand, a bowl of sauce in the other – go ahead, get dunking.

 

Garlic Herb Bread Twists with Parmesan Cheese Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, skins removed and crushed but mostly left whole
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lb pizza dough (I used store-bought dough from Whole Foods Market)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Note: You will need additional oil for greasing the baking sheet, and flour for rolling out the dough.

Easy Marinara Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare marinara sauce.  Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium heat.  Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until bread twists are ready.
2. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly oil a large baking sheet.
3. Combine olive oil and garlic in a small saute pan.  Cook for 12-15 minutes over low heat until garlic starts to brown and oil becomes infused.  Stir occasionally to make sure garlic doesn’t burn.  Be sure to turn garlic so it has a chance to toast on both sides.  Remove from heat and reserve.
4. Stir together oregano, red pepper flakes, and parmesan in a small bowl.  Set aside until you are ready to use.
5. Remove pizza dough from your refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.  This will take about 30 minutes.  Lightly flour a clean working surface and rolling pin. Roll out pizza dough into a 10 by 15 inch rectangle.
6. Sprinkle the top of the dough with half of the herb cheese mixture, then fold dough in half  and roll lightly to form a 8 by 15 inch rectangle.  Measurements do not have to be exact, but try to keep them close.
7. Cut lengthwise into 7 even strips with a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.  Strips will be slightly less than 1 inch.
8. Twist each strip from both ends and place on baking sheet, arranging twists 1 inch apart.  Brush twists with the garlic infused olive oil.  You will use about half of the oil. Reserve the remaining oil.
9. Bake bread twists until golden, 20 to 25 minutes total.  Turn the baking sheet half way through the cooking process to ensure even cooking.
10. Meanwhile, stir fresh parsley and basil into remaining  herb cheese mixture.
11. When fully cooked, remove bread twists from the oven.  Brush with remaining garlic oil (this will act as the glue), then sprinkle with the remaining cheese mixture.
12. Serve warm with Easy Marinara Dipping Sauce.

Recipe adapted from: Gourmet Magazine