Italian Crispy Breadsticks
Crispy, paper-thin Italian breadsticks from Turin with a delicate crunch and subtle nutty flavor from olive oil and salt. A classic vegan appetizer that looks impressive but requires only simple pantry staples and patient rolling.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
- 1
Pour 0.75 cup of warm water (around 110°F — it should feel pleasantly warm on your inner wrist) into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon of instant yeast over the water and let it sit for 1 minute, then stir gently with a fork until the yeast dissolves. You'll see tiny bubbles form on the surface.
- 2
Add 2 cups of bread flour, 1.5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and 1.5 teaspoons of fine sea salt to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms — all the dry flour should be incorporated, but the dough will look rough and slightly sticky.
- 3
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes, using the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself. The dough should transform from rough and sticky to smooth and elastic — when you poke it, it should spring back slowly rather than immediately or not at all.
- 4
Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it has roughly doubled in size — when you poke it with a floured finger, the indent should fill in slowly.
- 5
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 6
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly oiled work surface — do not punch it down aggressively; you want to preserve some of the air bubbles. Using your hands and a light dusting of flour, gently stretch and flatten the dough into a rectangle approximately 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. It should be about 1/4-inch thick.
- 7
Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into strips roughly 1/2 inch wide and 12 inches long — you should get about 16 strips. Work gently to avoid deflating the dough.
- 8
Pick up one strip by both ends and gently stretch it to about 14-15 inches long — the dough should be thin enough to see light through it, almost translucent. Lay it straight on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining strips, arranging them in a single layer without touching. They will become the classic thin, crispy grissini.
- 9
Lightly brush or spray each breadstick with water using a fine mister, then sprinkle a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt on each one — you want just a subtle dusting, not a heavy coating.
- 10
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400°F on the upper and lower racks, rotating the pans halfway through. The grissini are done when they are deep golden brown, dry to the touch, and snap cleanly when bent — they should sound crisp when you bite into one. If they're still slightly flexible, bake for another 1-2 minutes.
- 11
Transfer the baking sheets to wire cooling racks and let the grissini cool completely for at least 5 minutes — they will crisp up further as they cool. Once fully cooled, store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- work surface
- damp kitchen towel
- two large baking sheets
- parchment paper
- sharp knife or pastry cutter
- fine mister or spray bottle
- wire cooling racks
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for water temperature)
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