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1
In a small bowl whisk together water and yeast and let stand while combining remaining dough ingredients.
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2
Pulse together flour and salt 2 or 3 times to combine.
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3
Add oil, butter, or lard and pulse until combined well, 10 to 20 times.
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4
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and pulse until dough forms a ball, about 10 times.
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5
Let dough rest in processor 5 minutes.
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6
Process dough continuously 10 seconds.
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7
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball.
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8
In bowl combine flour and salt and mix on low speed until combined.
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9
Add oil, butter, or lard and beat until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape bowl and paddle as necessary.
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10
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat on low speed until dough forms a ball, about 5 minutes.
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11
Let dough rest 5 minutes and beat on low speed 1 minute.
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12
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball.
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13
In a large bowl stir together flour and salt.
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14
Add oil, butter, or lard and blend with fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
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15
Add yeast mixture, scraping all of it from bowl with a rubber spatula, and stir until a rough dough forms.
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16
On a lightly floured surface knead dough just until it forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes.
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17
Put dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
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18
On lightly surface knead dough lightly to deflate and form into a ball.
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19
Grease bowl again and return dough to bowl, turning to coat.
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20
Chill dough, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
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21
Preheat oven to 325F.
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22
and lightly dust 3 jelly-roll pans or large baking sheets with cornmeal.
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23
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, making sure dough emerges from bowl in one piece and doesn't fold.
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24
(Folded dough becomes too elastic and is difficult to form into breadsticks.)
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25
Pat dough into a 9-inch square and cut in half to form 2 rectangles.
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26
Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4 1/2- by 1/2-inch strips for a total of 36 pieces and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel to keep them from forming skin.
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27
Roll and stretch each piece of dough with palms of hands to form a narrow stick 12 to 15 inches long.
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28
(If dough resists, let pieces rest, covered, 5 minutes, and they will roll and stretch easily.)
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29
Arrange breadsticks as formed on pans about 1/2 inch apart and let rest 10 minutes.
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30
Bake 2 pans of breadsticks in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching their positions halfway through baking, until breadsticks are firm, crisp, and pale golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
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31
(Third pan of breadsticks may be kept at room temperature while first 2 pans bake.)
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32
Transfer breadsticks to racks and cool.
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33
Bake remaining pan of breadsticks in middle of oven and cool.
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34
Breadsticks may be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap or in a paper bag, at room temperature up to 1 week.
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35
If they absorb humidity and soften, recrisp in a preheated 325F.
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36
oven about 5 minutes.
