Courtesy of Academia Barilla, this recipe for hand-stretched breadsticks is made with a dough that has olive oil; however, you can replace olive oil with equal amounts of lard to make it more authentic, or flavor the dough to your liking. The dish hails from Turin, Piedmont, and was invented in 1679.
Ingredients (6 servings)
● 1 ½ lb wheat flour ● ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ● ½ oz salt ● ¾ oz fresh yeast ● 1 2/3 cups water ● durum wheat flour to taste
Preparation
● Mound the flour on the working surface, make a small well in the middle of it and add to it, olive oil, salt, yeast, and water. Knead for at least half an hour until you get a smooth, pliable dough. ● Divide the dough into four pieces and let rest undisturbed for a few minutes. Next, shape each piece of dough into a roll and place them on a damp surface. Flatten them and leave them to rise a second time. ● Cut the dough into strips, stretch each strip to form a breadstick, and place it on a semolina-dusted baking tray. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F until golden and crispy.
Cooking Tips
METHOD
When preparing the dough, you should add salt only once you’ve incorporated the yeast. Otherwise, your dough might not rise properly. According to the traditional recipe, the dough is proven twice, but grissini will taste almost equally as nice if the dough was only proven once. You can make grissini as short or as long as you prefer, however, the more uneven and wobbly they are, the more crispy texture they have once baked. Also, if you’re garnishing your breadsticks with seeds, you do not need to dust the tray with semolina. QUICK & EASY OPTION If you're looking for a way to make grissini making even easier, purchase already prepared pizza dough, then proceed according to the recipe.
FLAVOR COMBINATIONS There are virtually no limitations to how you can flavor your breadsticks. Various seeds can be sprinkled over the sticks of dough before baking or, worked into the dough. Some of the more popular additional ingredients include parmesan, caramelized onions, olives, and dried tomatoes
STORAGE Grissini can keep crisp for long if they’re stored in an airtight container. If they’ve gone soft, you can make them crisp again by baking them in a moderate oven for no more than five minutes.
SERVING When served as an appetizer, grissini are typically paired with various cold cuts, spreads, and cheeses. They also make for a great palate cleanser when tasting different cheeses and wines.
Credit: Taste Atlas