Grissini Breadsticks

Ciao Amici,
this week I tried to make Grissini and the result was delicious! I am happy
to share the recipe with you.
I hope myou will enjoy and Buon Appetito!
Please send us a photo of your Grissini if you try to make them at home!

Grissini are made with a simple pizza crust-like dough that’s heavy on the olive oil, which gives it its flavor and texture and helps to create a very
easy-to-work with, pliable dough.
You can purchase pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store to make grissini, but this homemade dough is very very easy.
It’s also very easy to add variety to your grissini: you can add rosemary or thyme, and seeds, such as poppy seeds or sesame seeds, are a classic
addition. A simple salt-and-pepper flavoring is nice, too, and you can experiment with different kinds of salts, such as smoked salt.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey
1 package (1 scant tablespoon) active-dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Oil for the bowl

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons
Stand mixer (or mixing bowl)
Wooden spoon
Small bowl
Tea towel or plastic wrap
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Sharp knife or bench scraper
Cooling rack

Instructions

Proof the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the whole wheat flour, water, honey and yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine and let
sit for 10 minutes. The mixture should be foamy and show some liveliness. Add the remaining ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, olive oil, and
salt. Mix on low speed with the dough hook attachment until combined, and then on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and shiny.
Let rest. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and transfer it to a small bowl. Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil over the dough and roll it around
until it has been coated. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and let sit undisturbed in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven and prep the baking sheets. When the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 425°F and line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment
paper.

Shape the dough. For plain grissini, shape the dough into a rough, flat rectangle. Slice a finger-sized piece from the long length of the rectangle
with a sharp knife or a bench scrapper. Roll it into a long, irregularly shaped snake and place on the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining
dough, placing the dough snakes about 1/2" apart.

To add herbs, knead about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh herbs into the dough and roll into snakes, as above. To add seeds, make the snakes as above. Measure out a couple of tablespoons of seeds and coax them into a long, thin line — as long as your snakes but fatter. Lay your snake over the seeds and press gently to make the seeds adhere. Place snakes on the baking sheet. Pick up one end and twist several times to create a swirl.

Let the grissini rise until puffed. Let the grissini rest for a few minutes before baking, so they puff up a bit, about 15 minutes.

Bake the grissini. Place the baking sheets with grissini into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. At 5 minutes, rotate the pans and check their
progress. The grissini are quite thin, so they will burn easily! Keep an eye on them and take them out when they are golden brown.

Cool and store. Carefully move the grissini to a cooling rack to cool. Once they are cool, store them in an airtight container (for up to 2 to 3 days)
until ready to serve.