Garlic Bread Twists
If I opened an Italian restaurant, this would be the menu: Tri-color handmade gnocchi, meatballs alla vodka, & garlic bread twists
Ryan Nordheimer•
March 24, 2026
I’ve never been to an Olive Garden. I only know about its offerings from what I’ve gathered from the ether:
- Large, imposing, never-ending breadsticks
- Some sort of cheese grater contraption that people try to steal (???)
- I assume they have chicken alfredo (I feel like I see a video of this dish at least weekly on TikTok)
The only Olive Garden in Manhattan is in Times Square. So unless I lose a fantasy football competition, I won’t be journeying over there anytime soon.
For my second episode of “if I opened” (a series where I create restaurant-like menus in my apartment for no apparent reason), I’m creating my ideal Olive Garden dining experience at home… or maybe just any Italian restaurant … or if I want to be really pretentious a ~gnoccheria~.
Gnocchi is my dad’s and my all-time favorite pasta. I remember the first time I had fresh gnocchi. Unfortunately, it was in the Amalfi Coast, Italy. The location isn’t the unfortunate part. I just really don’t like that I had to type out the sentence: “my first plate of fresh gnocchi was in the Amalfi Coast”. Ironic pretension aside, the gnocchi was transcendent. And I’m actually still thinking about that plate of black truffle-adorned, perfectly pillowy gnocchi ever since.
Gnocchi also happens to be the only fresh pasta I make at home and don’t become infuriated over. I actually enjoy the process. Why? Because I can crank! them! out! Most fresh pasta takes eons to produce with the rollers, boards, chitarra, etc. Whereas gnocchi dough comes together in minutes. I don’t bother with making the ridges because I have better things to do with my time. I’m perfectly satisfied with the true pillow look to my homemade gnocchi.
The real reason why I wanted to make homemade gnocchi was so that I could attempt a tri-color gnocchi presentation. Pesto, cacio e pepe, and vodka sauce all on the same plate. Is this realistic for a homecook? Absolutely not. Does it look incredible? 100%. I give all the separate recipes below which are much easier to execute individually. Props to you if you try to do all 3 simultaneously like I did (your kitchen will be a mess fyi).
For the other parts of my menu, I knew I wanted to have meatballs alla vodka as well. It’s the same sauce as the gnocchi alla vodka. But to make it easier, I like to bake my meatballs, which saves me the hassle of searing and simmering the meatballs.
And finally, garlic bread twists for my literal twist on a breadstick. Not much more to say about that. Don’t they look incredible?
Let me know what other restaurant menus I should attempt at home. I’m thinking bagel shop with homemade gravlax next?
Con amore,
Ryan
Hey! My name is Ryan Nordheimer. Welcome to my cooking and baking site. I’m a 25-year old home cook living in the East Village in New York City. Hopefully you enjoy my food through my own, tried-and-true recipes.
Ingredients (13)
Ingredients (13)
For the Tangzhong
For the dough
For the garlic topping
Instructions
For the Tangzhong
Add the milk (1 cup) and flour (⅓ cup) to a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the milk thickens to mashed potato consistency, about 5 minutes.
Dump into the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool for 5 minutes.
For the dough
Add the sugar (¼ cup), salt (2 tsp), yeast (2 tsp), eggs (2 large), milk (½ cup), and flour (4 ⅓ cups) to bowl. Attach a dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 10 minutes.
Then add the butter (4 Tbsp) and allow the mixer to continue to run for another 10 minutes.
Transfer dough to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the fridge overnight to proof.
You can also let double in size at room temperature for around 1.5 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9”x13” rectangular metal cake pan with plenty of room temperature butter (more the merrier), about 2 Tbsp or 3 Tbsp. Set aside.
Punch the air out of dough and turn out onto your work surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap.
Work one dough at a time, roll the dough out into a long oval about 6” long. Orient the oval so a short side is closest to you. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and make a series of thinly space slits along the length of the oval, leaving about 3/4” at the top uncut.
Place a cheese stick half at the top of the oval and roll toward the bottom to encase the cheese stick. Place into your prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.
If your dough is sticking to your work surface, you can lightly dust with flour.
Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and let proof until doubled in size and the dough looks puffy, about 1 hour.
Brush the dough with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until the dough is golden brown and has risen, about 25 minutes. Let cool.
For the garlic topping
Melt the butter (3 Tbsp) in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic (6 cloves) and let toast, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley (2 Tbsp). Use a spoon and drizzle the garlic butter over the rolls.
Season the rolls with flaky salt and pepper.
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