Waif Bread

It’s not that these skinny bread sticks are any lower in fat than the average bread stick. After all, the basic ingredients are just flour, water, yeast and a bit of oil. (We have, however, seen recipes that call for more butter and oil than is strictly necessary.) It’s just that sometimes we need reminding that not everything that’s good and crunchy is necessarily bad for us.

These bread sticks each have one gram of fat--not bad when you consider the fat you take in with a couple of potato chips. Munch on these bread sticks if you have to snack when you’re trying to lose weight. They also make good accompaniments to salads, soups and pasta dishes.

Be creative when making them and sprinkle with different combinations of spices and herbs before baking. One of our favorite mixes is crushed Sichuan peppercorns and kosher salt.

The bread stick dough is easy to prepare, with only a short time needed for rising. After the dough rises, knead it, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch strips, fold each strip in half, then twist together for a spiral effect. If you prefer long, skinny bread sticks, skip this step and just twist the strips

SKINNY BREAD STICKS

1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 to 2 cups flour

2 egg whites

Coarsely ground black peppercorns, crushed Sichuan peppercorns, kosher salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, crushed cumin seeds, optional

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in mixing bowl and stir until dissolved. Let stand until foamy.

Stir in olive oil, salt and 1/2 cup flour.

Beat 1 egg white in separate bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold egg white into yeast-flour mixture. Beat in enough remaining flour to form soft dough. Knead dough about 5 minutes and place in oiled bowl. Cover with towel and let rise 15 minutes.

Knead dough. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 15x11-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Twist strips of dough to form spiral patterns and place on lightly oiled baking sheets. Cover and let rise in warm room about 15 minutes.

Lightly beat remaining egg white and brush over bread sticks. Sprinkle with ground black or Sichuan peppercorns, kosher salt, sesame, poppy, caraway, or cumin seeds in any desired combination. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Makes about 22 bread sticks.

Each bread stick, without optional flavorings, contains about:

41 calories; 219 mg sodium; trace cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.06 gram fiber.