Crispy Italian Sesame Grissini Breadsticks

These crisp sesame grissini are inspired by the long, slender Italian breadsticks served with soups, salads, cheese spreads and antipasto. Unlike soft restaurant breadsticks, traditional grissini are rolled very thin and baked until completely dry and crunchy.

Why Sesame Grissini Turn Crisp

First, the secret is not a complicated ingredient list. Next, a simple yeast dough is stretched into narrow ropes, coated with sesame seeds and baked until deeply golden. Finally, letting the breadsticks dry briefly in the switched-off oven produces the crisp texture associated with packaged Italian grissini.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (375 grams) bread flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon honey or barley malt syrup
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) warm water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• Water for brushing

Instructions

1. Combine the bread flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir the honey into the warm water. Add this mixture and the olive oil to the flour.
3. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel soft but not sticky.
4. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise 60 to 75 minutes, or until nearly doubled.
5. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Press the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut it into 30 to 36 narrow strips.
7. Roll and gently stretch each strip into a thin breadstick about 12 to 14 inches long. For the crispest result, keep the ropes no thicker than a pencil.
8. Arrange the breadsticks on the prepared pans. Brush them lightly with water and coat generously with sesame seeds.
9. Rest uncovered for 15 minutes, then bake 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
10. When the breadsticks are deeply golden and firm, switch off the oven. Crack the door and leave them inside for another 10 minutes to dry.
11. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before storing.

Tips for perfectly crisp breadsticks

Roll every piece to a similar thickness so the breadsticks finish baking at the same time. Pale grissini may remain chewy, so allow them to develop an even golden color. If a few thicker pieces still feel soft after cooling, return them to a 300°F oven for five minutes. In addition, handle the ropes gently to keep them uniform.

Serving ideas

Serve sesame grissini with fresh tomato soup, Mediterranean lentil soup, creamy homemade hummus or whipped feta. For example, they also pair well with a simple Italian salad or an Italian cheese board. They make a crisp alternative to crackers.

Storage

Cool the grissini completely before placing them in an airtight container. They should remain crisp for about one week. If humidity softens them, warm briefly in a low oven and cool again. Find more made-from-scratch recipes at The Nutrient.