A friend + a ball of sticky dough = fun!

I love working with dough. And, in general, alone. However some times, two shoulders, fingers, and minds are better than one. Like... soft pretzels.

This afternoon I went over to Meghan's house after church. We get together frequently on Sundays and cook. After lunch, some eggs, and a mound of salsa-ed dishes we got to work making soft pretzels. We were armed with challenge, flour, and anticipation.

Pretzels take a good deal of work, especially if you don't have an Kitchen Aid mixer, like Meghan. But laughter and chatter made the thumping light and the rising short. Walking her dog during a baking or rising time is a tradition of ours. The air was biting today, especially as I only wore a sweatshirt. The mounds of melting snow. The frisking little dog. *Sigh*.

The pretzels were wonderful. Soft, warm, fresh, slightly eggy. Oh my. Nothing like the commercial ones. These are so delicious. They were clear winners and I can't wait to make them again!

About the recipe: since no mixer was available we mixed and kneaded the dough by hand. This was rather tiring, but I enjoy kneading, and we could take turns. Meghan didn't have a very large pan, so we halved the baking soda and sugar for the poaching part. Also, when shaping the dough into a rope, this is what I did: rolled between my palms till I had a goodly sized rope. Then I twirled and stretched it in the air (don't do anything too dramatic, keep it safe), then rolled it once more through my palms. Don't use too much flour, and don't make the pieces too big. We did a combination of three seasonings: salt (it was fine, not coarse), cinnamon-sugar, and garlic powder and dried chives. All were yummy.

A wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Soft Pretzels
From And Now for Something Completely Delicious.
Makes 16 pretzels

2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar (we used 2 tablespoons total)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup baking soda (we used 1/8 cup.)
1 large egg
Coarse or pretzel salt (we used fine.)

For a dough hook:
Pour the warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add one cup of flour to the yeast mixture and mix until combined. Add salt and the remaining flour and mix until combined. Beat on medium-low until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. If the dough is still sticky, add more flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until combined. Knead with the dough hook another 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

By hand:
Pour the warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar into a large bowl. Add the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add one cup of flour to the yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add salt and the remaining flour and mix until combined. Keep mixing until "dough pulls away from the sides" (basically whenever). If the dough is still sticky, add more flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until combined. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 - 7 minutes and until smooth and elastic. (See photo above).

Transfer the dough into a bowl coated with cooking spray (or olive oil, in our case). Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Separate the dough into 16 pieces about 2 1/2 ounces each. With your hands and with the aid of a slightly floured work surface, roll each piece into an 18-inch long strip. Then shape into a pretzel and set on a sheet pan. Let the pretzels rest for about 15 minutes, allowing them to rise a little more.

Meanwhile, boil a few inches of water in a wide, shallow pan over medium high heat. Add the baking soda and the remaining 2 (or 1) tablespoons of sugar. Transfer 3 to 4 pretzels to the water at a time and poach them on each side for 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and return to the lined sheet pan.

Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush each pretzel with the wash. Sprinkle with the course salt or other seasonings. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden (took us 13-14 mins). Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard or your favorite dip or sauce.

These pretzels are best eaten the day they are made, but will keep on the counter, uncovered for a few days,