1 tbsp. vegetable shortening for the cookie sheets
1 1/3 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. table salt
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. coarse salt

UTENSILS:

Paper towel
2 cookie sheets
Measuring cups and spoons
Lg. mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Ruler
Sm. bowl
Sm. whisk or fork
Pastry brush
Oven mitts
Metal spatula
Cooling rack

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Then turn on the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

Using the paper towel, spread the shortening evenly over both cookie sheets.

Pour the warm water into the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, let stand about 3 minutes to soften. Then stir with wooden spoon until completely blended.

Add sugar, table salt, and 1 cup flour; stir until blended. Add 2 more cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to blend after each addition. The dough should be well blended.

Sprinkle a little of the remaining flour over a clean kitchen surface. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling with flour if the dough is sticky.

Pull the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll 1 piece into a rope about 15 inches long, then shape the rope into a pretzel or letter. Put the pretzel on one of the baking sheets and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Break the egg into the small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and stir them together with the whisk. Brush the egg wash over each pretzel, using the pastry brush. Sprinkle the coarse salt over the pretzels with your fingers.

Put the oven mitts on and put a baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the pretzels are golden brown, 16 to 20 minutes.

Wearing the mitts, carefully transfer the sheet to a heat-proof surface. Bake the second sheet of pretzels. Using the spatula, transfer the pretzels from the baked sheet to the rack to cool a little before serving them. Cool the remaining pretzels when they are finished baking. Makes 2 dozen pretzels.