Italian Breadsticks: Grissini

Name: Italian Breadsticks: Grissini
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 24 breadsticks
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g strong white flour; 180 ml lukewarm water; 7 g dry yeast; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; Semolina or flour for dusting; Sesame or rosemary, optional

Italian breadsticks, or grissini, are best when they are crisp all the way through. The dough is simple, but the shaping matters: thin, even sticks bake dry and snap cleanly.

If the breadsticks are too thick, they brown outside while staying soft in the middle. For homemade grissini, it is better to make them slightly irregular but slender than perfectly shaped and heavy.

A Dough That Stretches Easily

Mix flour, water, yeast, olive oil and salt into a smooth dough. Knead until elastic, then let it rest until it feels relaxed and slightly risen. The dough should not be stiff; it needs enough softness to stretch without tearing.

Olive oil helps the texture and gives a cleaner bite. Do not add too much flour while shaping, or the surface can become dry.

Ingredients for Homemade Grissini

300 g strong white flour.
180 ml lukewarm water.
7 g dry yeast.
2 tbsp olive oil.
1 tsp fine sea salt.
Semolina or flour for dusting.
Sesame seeds or rosemary, optional.

How to Shape Thin Breadsticks

Pat the dough into a rectangle and cut it into strips. Stretch each strip gently from the ends and lay it on a baking tray. Do not roll them too much after stretching, or they can become dense.

If using sesame or rosemary, add it before baking and press lightly so it sticks.

Bake Until Fully Crisp

Bake in a hot oven until golden and dry. Let the grissini cool completely before storing. If they soften later, return them briefly to a low oven to dry them again.

How Thin Should Grissini Be?

For crisp breadsticks, aim for strips roughly pencil-thick before baking. They can be uneven, and that handmade look is fine, but very thick pieces will stay bready inside.

Leave space between the sticks on the tray so heat can circulate. If some brown faster than others, remove the cooked ones and give the thicker pieces a few more minutes.

Flavour Variations

Keep the base dough simple, then add sesame seeds, rosemary, fennel seeds or coarse salt before baking. Strong toppings should be used lightly so the breadsticks still taste clean and crisp.