EZ Peazy Pretzels

Easy Baked Pretzels Made from Pizza Dough

If you're making pizza and always have left over pizza dough, here's an easy and fun way to make pretzels. This is also a way to make a snack for a party or a picnic lunch even when pizza isn't on the menu. These pretzels were named by a friend's 4-year-old daughter who already has taken on the kitchen as a city cook in training. She makes these with her Dad after they make pizza for dinner. The quantity of pretzels will depend upon the volume of pizza dough you start out with, and the sizes and shapes of the pretzels themselves.

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe Pizza Dough (see our recipe); either make your own or use a half-portion bought from a favorite pizza shop
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• Sea salt or another coarse salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450º F.
2. If you are using a pizza stone, place the stone on the center rack in a cold oven before turning on the heat. Make sure the stone is completely heated.
3. If you're not using a pizza stone, prepare a sheet pan by either sprinkling it with corn meal or lightly brushing it with canola oil.
4. Lightly flour a clean working surface.
5. Take a ball of whole wheat pizza dough or raw dough bought at a favorite pizza parlor and cut it into as many pieces as you want to make your pretzels. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into preferred shapes and sizes. This could be single pretzel sticks, a classic pretzel shape, or letters and numbers.
6. Make an egg wash by whisking together an egg with 1 tablespoon water.
7. Brush each piece of dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
8. Place the pretzel pieces on either the preheated pizza stone or else the prepared sheet pan.
9. Bake for about 10 minutes, watching them closely so that the pieces don't burn.
10. Let cool before eating and before storing in an airtight container.