3/4 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 egg
Sesame seeds or kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Grease the foil lightly. Next measure warm water into a large bowl. The water should feel pretty warm when you stick your finger in it. Sprinkle yeast on the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Add the salt, sugar and flour. Stir well. Then mix and knead the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes. Do this on a floured board. The dough should not be too dry or too sticky.

Cut dough into 12 pieces with a table knife. Put flour on your hands and roll one piece of dough back and forth between the palms of your hands to form a dough rope about 10 inches long. Now twist the rope into a letter, number or pretzel shape. Repeat with remaining dough strips. Put pretzels on a cookie sheet.

In a small bowl beat egg with a fork. Brush pretzels with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or kosher salt. Bake pretzels for about 12-15 minutes.