How to make grissini

What is grissini?

Grissini is the plural of grissino: a crispy bread stick originated in Turin, Piedmont, in Northern Italy. Grissini were created in the mid-1600s by a doctor, from the province of Torino, who invented grissini to make bread more digestible for the future king Victor Amadeus II, who was in poor health and unable to digest soft breadcrumbs.
Grissini is pronounced gree-SEE-nee, the stress on the capital letters. Click and listen to the correct pronunciation of Grissini.

Ingredients for grissini

• 500g of 00 flour or plain flour
• 250g -280g of water
• 15g of fresh yeast
• 8g of salt
• 3 spoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of malt
• Semolina flour to sprinkle
• Olive oil for brushing

How to make grissini

• Make a mound of flour, then mix all the ingredients in the middle and beat for 8 to 10 minutes.

• The dough cannot be too soft.

• Make a rectangular shape with the dough and cover with olive oil.

• Sprinkle with semolina flour.

• Let it rest for 1 hour.

• Cut it in pieces about the width of a finger.

• Use your fingers to separate the dough and lift it and pull it gently.

• Flap the dough in the air.

• Place them on an oven tray and bake in a preheated oven, at 200 c for 20 minutes.

(Photo from Vogue Australia: "Cucina Luciana" by Sophia Young, recipes Luciana Sampogna, photography Mark Roper, styling David Morgan)
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