Taste of Italy: Grissini

         This recipe is from Hamelman's book - Bread, a baker's book of techniques and recipes, and it's one of the easiest I have found in this book. I just wanted to try something easy, with commercial yeast, before starting my sourdough adventure. (I am secretly planning to bake a ciabatta, only that so far I am too scared of all the kneading and stretching and folding techniques...)
       Until then, let me introduce you this week's stars: italian grissini - rich and crispy bread sticks with fragrant olive oil, made plain or rolled in fine semolina for a plus of texture. This recipe is taking me back in Italy, with sunny gardens, dear friens, long stories and frizzante wine :). These bread sticks (grissini) are very popular in Italy and chances are, if you go out for lunch, that you will get some grissini on the house, as an snack, until you decide what you will have for lunch. I love dipping them into extravirgin olive oil - it gives them an even richer taste.
        Great for parties, ideal as apetizers or snacks, these crispy bread sticks will become soon your favourites, i'm sure! :)

      

Ingredients (for 20-25 de grissini):

500 grams bread flour

260 grams water

60 grams extravirgin olive oil

50 grams unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

10 grams salt

5 grams instant dry yeast

optional: 2-3 tablespoons of fine semolina

Method:

1. Sieve the flour in a large bowl, add the salt, butter, olive oil, water and yeast and knead by hand for 10 minutes (or if you have a standing mixer, mix on first speed for 3 minutes, then at the second speed for another 4-5 minutes).

2. Cover the mixing bowl with a cloth, and let it rest in a warm place for one hour. At this time, you can turn on the oven, and preheat it at 190 degrees Celsius. 

3. When the dough has doubled its size, move it to a lightly floured surface and cut it into small portions of 30-35 grams each. Cover with plastic foil and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes. 

4. Roll or strech each piece, trying to keep an even dimension along the length, to aprox 20 cm. Before transfering to baking sheets, roll the individual bread sticks into fine semolina - this adds a plus of texture to the grissini. 

5. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

6. Leave the bread sticks to cool comletely before serving. I can say that they are even crispier the next day. Sore them into an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To serve, dip the grissini in good quality extravirgin olive oil.

Enjoy!