Pizza Dipping Sauce with Warm Breadsticks

This is a yummy afternoon snack, appetizer or slumber party snack for kids. Serve warm or cold and with or without gooey, melted mozzarella (plant-based mozzarella-like cheese also works well). Generally, higher quality Italian, San Marzano tomatoes are less acidic than other canned tomatoes.

Serves: 2-4

Total time: 15-20 minutes 

 

Dairy-free & Plant-based: omit cheese

 

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil 

¼ onion 

Optional (if tomatoes are too acidic) add: 1 small grated carrot

1 clove garlic 

1 tin of chopped tomatoes  

1 Tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste) 

1 teaspoon oregano 

Salt and pepper to taste  

Handful of shredded mozzarellas  

 

Method: 

1.            Peel and finely chop onion 

2.            Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat with the oil and sauté the onion until translucent with optional grated carrot - roughly 5 minutes.  

3.            While the onion is cooking, peel and crush garlic. 

4.            Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully, pour the tomatoes close to the bottom of the saucepan to avoid splattering. Add

the tomato puree though salt and pepper.

5.            Return to a low heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until thickened.  

6.             Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed.  

7.             Remove from heat and stir in shredded mozzarella and serve right away with sweet red pepper strips or breadsticks for

dipping. 

Breadsticks

Swap in gluten-free bread flour if you follow a gluten-free diet (usually gluten-free flour is easier to roll out sandwiched between parchment paper). You can age the dough for up to 3 days in the fridge for a more sourdough-style pizza crust. If made in advance, just allow for the dough to reach room temperature before rolling out (roughly 30 minutes). It's also a great idea to double this recipe and make extra breadsticks or pizza crusts.

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 cup (150g) bread flour

1/2 cup (50g) whole-wheat bread flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon rapid acting yeast

2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup (125mls) warm water

Optional to top before baking: 3 Tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and/or place slices of pepperoni on top of each breadstick

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven on 400ºF/210ºC.

2. Mix dough by hand or in a food processor: place flours through yeast in bowl.

3. Add the water and oil, mixing to form a soft dough. If dough is not forming a ball, add a bit more oil until the dough comes

together and a ball forms.

4. If using a food processor, mix until well until combined and a ball forms in the bowl. Let rest for 10 minutes before rolling out. 5. Dust countertop with a bit of flour.

6. Roll out to 1/2" - 1" thick and using a knife or pizza wheel, slice the dough into equal lengths breadsticks. **If you'd like to

make a twisted breadstick roll the dough to 1/4" thick and twist each strip of dough.

7. Place the breadsticks on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

8. Optional: Brush breadsticks with melted butter and garlic powder.

9. Bake for approximately 12-20 minutes or until golden brown. Optional: brush with more reserved butter when finished baking.

Serve with dipping pizza sauce.