Source: Ultimate Bread by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno
Makes 40 to 50 thin sticks
Preparation time: 2 hours
Tips: Great to eat and decorate the dinner table.
Breadsticks- Italian
Herb or Plain
Ingredients
Preparation
2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon malt extract or syrup
3 1/2 cups (500 grams) unbleached flour, sifted
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons semolina ( not needed if using silicone mats to bake)
egg glaze, made with 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water
Topping of your choice: sesame seeds, coarse salt, poppy seeds, dry oregano, dry rosemary
Herbs to mix with dough: dry rosemary, dry oregano, black pepper, anise seeds.... your choice
1. Sprinkle the yeast into 1/2 cup of the water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes, then add the malt extract or syrup; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast and the olive oil.
2. Use a wooden spoon to draw in the flour from the sides. Stir in the remaining water, as needed, to form a firm, sticky dough. This may be done instead using a mixer with the dough hook.
3. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes. If you are mixing herbs in the dough, divide dough into desire flavors, introduce the herbs and proceed. Knead the dough for 10 minutes more.
4. Shape the dough into a rectangle, 12-inch x 8-inch and 3/4 inch thick. I like to do this part using a pasta machine: roll pieces of dough from number #1 to about #3 , not too thin. Cover rectangles with a dish towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Prepare 2 baking trays by lining them with silicone mats, parchment paper or slightly oil and sprinkle with semolina. Heat oven to 325F degrees, use “Convection Bake” if available.
6. Using 1/4 of the dough at a time, cut about 10 to 12 thin long pieces. Dip your fingers slightly in water, take one piece at a time and roll evenly in the counter or table to obtain a stick about 0.5 cm thick and 12-inch to 14- inch long (the length of your tray). Place sticks slightly apart on baking tray.
7. Brush the strips with egg glaze and sprinkle with seeds or desire topping if any.
For herbs I prefer to mix them in the dough, they provide more flavor, on top they tend to not stick and fall.
8. Bake at 325F in “Convection Bake” mode if available for 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly golden.
9. When all sticks are baked, loosen from tray and pile into a rack on top of tray. Lower oven to about 200F
on Convection Bake mode, place tray with all breadsticks back in the oven and let slowly dry for about 20 minutes, checking that they do not get too brown. This last step assures the breadsticks are perfectly dry, this way they store well for weeks and can be left in a open container without getting soft. Handle carefully, they are brittle and break easily.
NOTES : In Italian, breadsticks are called Grissini. In Spain they are shaped as on knot loop called Picos.
1) For a sweet twist on this recipe, try anise seeds mix within the dough and sprinkled outside with coarse sugar crystals.
2) Place breadsticks in a glaze tall base at the dinner table for decoration and nibbling, or tide with a raffia string in bundles around the table setting, I use them in this matter during the wedding of my daughter Jenny. Outdoors, in the middle of summer in humid NC. the breadsticks remain as if they just came out of the oven: crisp and dry.
3) Breadsticks can be baked weeks ahead and store in sealed plastic bags.
