Toasty Seeded Bread Sticks

Mix the baguette dough using the instructions in the recipe. Divide
the dough in half and use the other half for baguettes. Dust your
work surface with flour and place the kneaded dough on the floured
surface. Cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise
at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees F) for 1 hour. The dough will
be soft but will not have doubled.

Combine the sesame and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Pat the dough
into an even 4 by 6 inch rectangle. Using a plant sprayer,
generously mist the dough. Coat both sides of the dough completely
with the seed mixture; make sure there are no bare spots. Gently
brush the dough on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle it with
kosher salt.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and oil the paper lightly.
Stretch the rectangle so that it is a little longer. Using a dough
cutter, cut the dough width-wise into twelve strips, almost 1 inch
wide. Lift each stick, stretch it slightly so it’s 8 inches long and
lay it on the baking sheet. Place the sticks on the baking sheet with
about 1 inch between them. Let rise for 30 minutes, until they become
slightly puffy but not quite fully doubled.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a
baking stone in the oven to preheat and place an empty water pan
directly below the stone. Place the pan of bread on the baking
stone. Quickly pour 1 cup of very hot water into the water pan and
immediately shut the oven door. After about 1 minute, mist the sticks
with water 6 to 8 times, then quickly shut the oven door. Mist again
after 1 more minute.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees
F and bake 8 to 12 minutes longer, until the sticks look golden brown
and are getting crisp on the outside. Brush the hot bread sticks
with a little olive oil if desired, then transfer them to a rack to
cool for a few minutes before serving.