The Dish: Philly Pretzel Factory's soft pretzels

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Fewer flavors say "Philly" better than a soft pretzel and we're finding out the secrets and the backstory of a local institution: Philly Pretzel Factory.

It all started when CEO and co-founder Dan DiZio was just 11 years old.

"I used to sneak out of school," DiZio laughs. "I used to check in and then sneak out and go sell pretzels all day on the corner."

His neighbor had leftover pretzels from their bakery and offered DiZio a chance to make a buck.

This is how DiZio became an entrepreneur.

"Within a couple of weeks, everybody in my school saw me walking around with big wads of $1 bills," he says. "They wanted a job and I started organizing kids to stand on the corners."

Fast forward to 1998 when DiZio and his college roommate Len Lehman opened Philly Pretzel Factory.

Today, there are 175 Philly Pretzel Factory locations across the country - and counting.

Want to make their pretzels at home? Here's the famous recipe:

Philly Soft Pretzel Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 and 3/4-4 cups all-purpose flour, or the flour or your choice

• 1 and 1/2 cups warm water

• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 standard packet)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter - melted

• coarse salt for after baking

Baking Soda Bath

• 1/2 cup baking soda

• 9 cups warm water - boiled

Directions:

1. Whisk together yeast, warm water, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Use a mixer to add the flour. The dough should have a bouncy consistency.

2. Knead and roll out into log strands. Create pretzel shape. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Dip in a boiling baking soda bath, drain and then salt.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.