Torcetti are essentially breadsticks (with a bit of butter added to it for its distinct flakiness), rolled in sugar, twisted into a drop shape, and baked. They are a specialty from Piedmont, in particular around the Biella Valley. Some versions skip the yeast and make them more like cookies, with bicarbonate of soda acting as the rising agent, these are like instant torcetti, as you don't need to wait for the dough to rise. But I like the traditional version using bread dough, and it's no extra work, you just need time for two risings. I'd suggest doing the second rise overnight—pop the bowl into the fridge and let the second rise happen while you're sleeping. The next morning, the buttery dough, thanks to the chill of the fridge, is also easier to handle. <br /> <br />You may like to use raw sugar instead of white sugar for rolling the dough in, for some extra crunch. <br /> <br />Also please note, since flour is such a variable thing, you may or may not need all the water listed here. You may also find you need to add flour to the dough—or you may not. It just depends on how the particular flour you are using absorbs liquids. But this is a forgiving mixture. I'd recommend if you need to correct the flour/water, to do it before the first rise. Later, with the butter, you may find it's only sticky because the butter is so soft, so a bit of chill in the fridge can help. When you roll the dough, you don't want it to be so dry that it doesn't pick up the sugar. If this happens, you can brush the dough strips with water.

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