Homemade grissini: A taste of Italy you can bake easily

Although they look quite unassuming, everyone reaches for them as soon as they appear on the table. It's hard to imagine an Italian feast without them, but you don't have to travel to sunny Italy to try them. You can bake delicious breadsticks at home.

Grissini are crunchy, thin breadsticks from the Italian region of Piedmont. Lovers of sweets may also associate them with hazelnuts. Their name comes from the Italian word "grissino," meaning "twig." They're a fantastic snack that pairs well with various dips and is a great addition to soups or salads.

When there was a bit of extra bread dough left in the bakery, instead of throwing it away, bakers would shape it into long, thin sticks and then bake them. This pragmatic recipe quickly won the hearts of not only Italians. They are very versatile, as you can serve them as a crunchy addition to salads, wrap them in slices of prosciutto, serve them with soups, or pair them with dips like pesto, hummus, aioli, or herb-infused olive oil.

The basic grissini recipe can be modified by adding various spices, herbs, or seeds. Additions like Provencal herbs or a sprinkle of sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and Parmesan will work well here. To add an extra dose of fiber, you can also sprinkle grissini with flaxseeds.

Making homemade grissini is straightforward. As is typical for Italian cuisine, the key is good-quality ingredients. High-quality olive oil is crucial here, as it gives grissini its characteristic taste and aroma. Substitute it with canola oil, but the flavor will differ slightly. It's best to use type 00 wheat flour, characteristic of Italian cooking.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups 00 wheat flour,
• 2.5 teaspoons fresh yeast or 1 teaspoon dry yeast,
• 1 teaspoon sugar,
• 1 teaspoon salt,
• 4 tablespoons olive oil + extra for brushing,
• about 1 cup water,
• optional: sesame seeds, sea salt, Provencal herbs, Parmesan.

Method:

1. In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water with sugar. Set aside for a few minutes until it starts to foam.
2. Sift the flour into the bowl. Add the salt, olive oil, and yeast starter. Knead into an elastic dough, gradually adding water. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
3. Place the ready dough in a bowl, cover it with a cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it doubles in size.
4. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured board.
5. Roll it out to about 0.4 inches thick, then cut it into long strips about 0.4-0.8 inches wide.
6. Brush each strip lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the toppings you choose (sesame seeds, sea salt, herbs, Parmesan).
7. Place the grissini on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 390°F, until golden and crispy.

After cooling, the sticks are ready to munch on. Enjoy!