Italian Bread Sticks - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2/3 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. soft shortening or margarine
2 c. sifted flour

Preparation

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
Add salt, sugar, shortening and half the flour.
Beat vigorously until smooth.
Mix in rest of flour.
Knead on floured cloth-covered board until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Cover; let rise 1 hour, until double in bulk.
Heat oven to 400\u00b0.
Divide in half.
Cut each half into 24 pieces.
Roll each into pencil shapes, 6, 8 or 10 inches (depending on how thick you like the sticks).
Place on greased baking sheet 1 inch apart.
Brush with beaten egg (add 1 tablespoon water to 1 egg).
Sprinkle with sesame, celery or poppy seed, corn meal or coarse salt.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Makes 48.