Pretzels

1. Take a small bowl; suspend yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 ¼ cups warm water. Let stay until the mixture is creamy, for around 10 minutes.
2. Take a large bowl, blend together flour, ½ cup sugar, and salt. Dig a well in the center and include oil and yeast mixture.
3. Mix well and form the dough. If too dry, add another 1-2 tablespoons of water. Work the dough until smooth, approximately 7-8 minutes. Grease a large bowl with oil, put the dough in it, and spin to cover with oil fully. Cover up using plastic wrap and let expand in a warm place until doubled in size or for about an hour.
4. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F or 230 degrees C. Lubricate 2 baking sheets.
5. Take a large bowl, combine baking soda with 4 cups hot water; put aside.
6. Once the dough has risen, put onto a lightly floured surface and split into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into a rope each and interweave into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is shaped, bathe each pretzel into the baking soda-hot water mixture and put the pretzels on baking sheets. Flavor with kosher salt.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until browned or for about 8 minutes.

Trivia

There are various questionable records with respect to the origin of pretzels, and additionally the origin of its name.  It is widely said and believed that pretzels have Christian backgrounds and were invented by the European priests in the Middle Ages.

As indicated by legend, several sources including The History of Science and Technology, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans in 610 AD endorse that an Italian priest designed pretzels as a reward to children who learned and observed their prayers.