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This Rosemary And Garlic Dough Makes Perfect Pizza Crusts And Breadsticks

Making your own pizza is a great way to spend more time in the kitchen and experiment with flavors you may not find on your local delivery place's menu. For instance, this rosemary and garlic crust is bursting with unique flavor – and you can use the extra dough to make breadsticks.

To make one pizza crust and 6 breadsticks, you'll need:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 2 ½ teaspoons (or 1 packet) active, dry yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

Directions:

1. Pour the yeast, sugar, and ¼ cup water into a large mixing bowl. Let it sit until it gets frothy (about 5 minutes).
2. Pour the remaining water into the bowl. Add 2 cups of flour, and mix to form a soft dough.
3. Add the salt, garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl, and continue mixing.
4. Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour to the bowl, stirring well the entire time. The mixture should eventually form a firm, yet slightly sticky ball.
5. Add the fresh rosemary to the dough, and then knead it for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface. If you have a mixer with a  dough hook, you can knead it with this device for 5 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and cover the top with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours. The dough should be puffy and look about twice the size it was when you finished kneading it.
7. Using lightly greased hands, press down on the dough to remove the air.
8. Divide the dough ball in half. Shape one half into a ball (this will be for your pizza crust).
9. Divide the other half of the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a log. These are your breadsticks.
10. Place the breadsticks on a baking sheet.
11. Combine the remaining olive oil with the minced garlic, and brush it over the breadsticks. Reserve a small portion of this oil to brush on your pizza crust.
12. Let the breadsticks rest for 20 minutes, and then bake them at 375 F for 15 to 20 minutes.
13. After the ball of pizza dough has had 20 minutes to rest, shape it into a crust. Brush it with the remaining garlic mixture, and then top it as desired.
14. Bake your topped pizza for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Enjoy your pizza and breadsticks meal! The rosemary flavor will make you feel like you're in a true Italian restaurant. Or, if you don't feel like cooking tonight or don't have the time to wait for the dough to rise, head over to a professional pizzeria like Chicago Deep Dish Pizza to satisfy your pizza cravings.