Armenian Choereg (breadsticks)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs flour or 8 -9 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup scalded milk
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (about 105 degrees)
• 1/2 cup crisco
• 1/2 lb butter
• 1/2 tablespoon nigella seeds (black seeds)
• 2 eggs
• 1 beaten egg
• sesame seeds

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in warm water.
• 2 heat milk and turn off heat. add butter and crisco to melt and cool milk.
• 3 if you have a large kitchen aid mixer, add all ingredients except beaten egg and sesame seeds. if not, you will need to mix all in a large bowl and knead by hand.
• 4 add enough flour to make a soft slightly sticky dough.
• 5 knead 10 minutes in mixer or with oiled hands.
• 6 allow to rise until double in bulk. around 2 hours.
• 7 oil hands and punch down. pull off a hunk of dough and roll out with your hands to a long rope.
• 8 slice on the diagonal in 5 inch pieces. make sticks or circles or braid three pieces together, if desired.
• 9 place on a cookie sheet an inch apart.
• 10 brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• 11 bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until light brown.