Grissini, or breadsticks, are a popular Italian accompaniment to many dishes. They can be made at home and customized with various additions. The origins of breadsticks date back to the 14th century in Turin, and they can be served in various ways, including as a snack or as part of antipasti. Pizza dough is a suitable choice for making breadsticks, and they can be flavored with various ingredients.
Grissini are long, thin pieces of crusty, dry bread. They are better known in many English-speaking nations as bread sticks or breadsticks and are a popular accompaniment to many Italian dishes. Chefs specializing in other cuisines have also adapted breadsticks, as they pair well with a variety of foods and also make a great standalone snack. Many markets offer bread sticks and they can even be made at home by cooks who want to modify the recipe with custom additions.
The origins of breadsticks appear to date back to the 14th century, and the food appears to have emerged in Turin. Grissino Torinesi, or Turin-style breadsticks, is very popular, and Turin is proud of its production of breadsticks. Numerous myths surround the origins of bread sticks. In all likelihood, the food was developed when a cook had leftover pizza dough and decided to experiment with it.
A basic breadstick is thin and very simple, made only with flour, water and salt. These breadsticks are often offered at wine tastings as a palate cleanser, or they can accompany savory soups and stews as a neutral starch. Grissini can be straight or twisted, slightly flattened or even square, and their texture varies from an almost stale crunch to a much softer, bread-like feel. Commonly, bread sticks are rolled or dressed with things like sea seeds, fresh herbs, or caramelized onions. The dough can also be spiced up with an assortment of ingredients ranging from honey to red pepper flakes.
There are many ways to serve breadsticks. A platter on the table during an Italian meal is certainly appropriate, and they can also be used to create antipasti, such as ham-wrapped bread sticks. They can also be eaten out of hand as a snack, and the more ready-made versions can almost make a meal in and of themselves, especially when topped with ingredients like parmesan.
Cooks can fairly safely use almost any type of yeast dough to make bread sticks, although pizza dough is the more suitable choice. After the dough has been kneaded and allowed to rise once, it is rolled out and cut into strips, which are usually rolled out by hand, with the dough suspended in the air. The dough is left to rest and the bread sticks are baked in the oven until they become golden brown and crunchy. Fresh breadsticks are excellent right out of the oven, or drier versions can be allowed to cool and stored in an airtight container until the cook is ready to use them.
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