Sourdough Pretzels

Ursi says, “I love pretzels! I could eat them every single day . . . maybe it’s because I’m Bavarian”. Pretzels are usually dipped in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) prior to baking, which gives them their characteristic taste and shiny brown skin. As food-grade sodium hydroxide can be hard to obtain and is hazardous to handle, this recipe uses bicarbonate of soda/baking soda instead, which gets you safely toward a similar result.