Parmesan Breadstick Knots

A normal week. I worked Tuesday, Wednesday (practicum), Thursday, Friday. I cooked the way I cook now. I slept not enough but more than I had been. I read a novel on the commuter rail Wednesday morning (I take the T to the clinic twice a week when parking is tight).

I made a chicken pot pie Sunday. The full thing. Puff pastry. Deep filling. Liam ate two servings. Nora ate the pastry. I ate a big slice. We had leftovers Monday.

Ms. Russo has recommended Liam continue sessions through the end of the year. I agreed. He is doing well but she believes the regular touchpoints are helping him metabolize the loss. I trust her.

I have been doing thirty minutes of yoga three mornings a week. A video on YouTube. I hate it. I keep doing it. Dr. Patel said exercise would help. She was right. I feel marginally better. Marginally counts.

The pot pie was the anchor of the meal that Sunday, but the breadstick knots were what disappeared first — Liam pulled one apart before I’d even set the pie on the table. There is something about a warm, garlicky knot of bread that requires nothing from anyone, no explanation, no effort to receive it. I’ve been reaching for recipes like that lately: straightforward, hands-busy, reliably good. This one never lets me down.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 12 knots

Ingredients

1 lb store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Flaky salt, for finishing (optional)

Instructions

Preheat. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
Divide the dough. Turn the pizza dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut it into 12 roughly equal pieces (a bench scraper makes this easy). Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rest 5 minutes so the dough relaxes.
Shape the knots. Working one at a time, roll each piece of dough into a rope about 8–9 inches long. Tie the rope into a simple overhand knot, then tuck both loose ends underneath the knot to secure them. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sea salt. Brush about half of this mixture over the tops and sides of the shaped knots. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan.
Bake. Bake for 13–16 minutes, until the knots are puffed and deep golden brown on top and the bottoms are set. Rotate the pan once halfway through for even browning.
Finish and serve. As soon as the knots come out of the oven, brush generously with the remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, the fresh parsley, and a pinch of flaky salt if using. Serve warm — they are best within the first hour.

Nutrition (per serving)

Parmesan Breadstick Knots — The Warm Bread That Made Sunday Feel Like Home