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Thin and Crispy Breadsticks
PAIR WITH
Blender Gazpacho
(PAGE 29)
Spice-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon Crumbles
(PAGE 42)
I learned to make these crispy corkscrew breadsticks at the apron strings of a chef in Barbaresco, Italy. Though these breadsticks, called
grissini
in Italian, are usually served with appetizer platters, I like to balance the delicate twigs on the edge of soup bowls or stand them upright in a tall glass
.
I keep the flavors simple here, but my friend and expert recipe tester Jacki loves them sprinkled with fried shallots
(see Flavor Toolbox, page 14)
. You could also give them your own twist with a sprinkle of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, poppy seeds, smoked paprika, or crumbled nori seaweed sheets. Sprinkle your chosen flavoring on the rolled-out dough and roll over it gently with a rolling pin before you cut the dough into strips
.
MAKES
72
BREADSTICKS
SERVES
6 TO 8
ACTIVE TIME
15
MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
30
MINUTES
1 recipe Fresh-and-Fast Olive Oil Bread Dough
(page 20)
, or 1 lb [455 g] packaged fresh pizza dough
Olive oil spray, for misting
Sea salt
1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F [190°C].
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.
Divide the dough in half.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough, picking up the dough and rotating it to make sure it’s not sticking, until it is in a roughly 10-by-12-in [25-by-30.5-cm] rectangular shape about
1
/
8
in [4 mm] thick.
If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
(Keep the other half of the dough covered with plastic wrap so it won’t dry out.)
3.
Sprinkle the dough with additional seasonings (see headnote for ideas), if using.
Roll over the seasonings with a rolling pin once to help them adhere to the dough.
Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips
1
/
4
in [8 mm] thick.
Transfer the strips to the prepared baking sheets and twist each strip four or five times to create a corkscrew shape, pressing down on the ends to keep the dough twisted.
(Alternatively, transfer the flat dough strips to the baking sheets and don’t twist them.) Mist the breadsticks with olive oil, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let them rise until they puff up a little, about 20 minutes.
4.
Sprinkle the breadsticks with salt.
Bake, rotating the baking sheets once from front to back and top to bottom, until the breadsticks are golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the breadsticks to a cooling rack; they will become crisper as they cool.
Repeat the rolling, rising, and baking process with the remaining dough.
GET AHEAD:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F [180°C] oven for 5 minutes to refresh, if desired.