Baltimore Crab Pretzel Sticks Recipe

Jan 4, 2013 11:01 am

A recipe for crab pretzels, appetizer-style

By Jess Kapadia

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Photo: Mark Shaw

Try this recipe for slightly more manageable Baltimore crab pretzels in appetizer format. The crowd will thank you.

Here's how proud the Baltimore area is of its crabmeat. Go ahead, look at the photo. Actually, mine don't do them justice — the real Baltimore crab pretzels are legit twisted stadium pretzels, roughly the size of a dinner plate and positively coated with thick crab salad and shredded cheese. Lest I ask you to break out the dough hook for the stand mixer I'm sure you all have, I use pre-made pizza dough to achieve very nearly the same results in an hour or less.

I like this play on crab pretzels in stick form because they're easier to make for a crowd, but if you want to try your hand at a gargantuan twisted pretzel, by all means go right ahead. It's good timing: These would be the ultimate snack to serve while watching the Ravens take on the Colts as the NFL playoffs kick off this weekend.

Servings: 8 sticks

Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, thawed if frozen

1/2 pound flake or backfin crabmeat, picked over for shell fragments

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise

juice and zest of one lemon

kosher salt, to taste

6 ounces shredded cheddar and jack mix

2 eggs, lightly beaten

snipped chives, to garnish

Directions:

For the crab dip:

In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, zest and salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pretzels:

Preheat oven to 450F.
Divide pizza dough into 8 portions, then roll each portion into a thick rope. Brush each one with beaten egg, then bake for 10 minutes until just about golden brown. Do not bake completely or your pretzels will be too hard.
Remove pretzels from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Layer each pretzel with a thick layer of crab salad, then sprinkle generously with shredded cheese, pressing in to adhere.
Preheat broiler to high and return pretzels to the oven about 6 inches from the flame.
Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden-brown.
Remove from oven, garnish with chives and serve while hot.

Some dips for the snack with dip built in?

Level of Difficulty:

Easy

Prep Time:

45 minutes

Cooking Time:

15 minutes

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