I have never tried using sourdough for pretzels. Sounds like a great thing to do with the excess starter. I always try and use the starter for some thing (rolls, pancakes, quick bread, etc) when I feed it on its monthly basis. I have been using the same San Francisco starter for over 30 years and have never had to add yeast to a recipe. My starter is active usually within 1 hour and produces a good rise. Are you adding the yeast to reduce the rise time? Yes, exactly, John. You can leave it out, but your rise times will be MUCH longer, especially if the sourdough hasn't been fed. PJH

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