Italian Sourdough Grissini (Breadsticks) – basic sourdough breadsticks recipe that can be prepared with either fed active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. A quick recipe (when made with discard) for delicious and basic breadsticks, made from scratch at home. The dough can be knead in a bread machine too. Whole wheat flour can be used too.
Today we’re making a simple, classic, and versatile recipe for Italian breadsticks, also known as grissini. This version uses sourdough starter to give them even more flavor. You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. The key difference is that if you use discard, you’ll need to add a little instant dry yeast to ensure the dough rises properly.
These thin breadsticks are delicious fresh from the oven, when they’re still soft with a light crisp on the outside. If left to cool for a few hours, they become much crunchier. The thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the breadsticks will be in the end.
Behind the Bites
Grissini, the thin and crispy breadsticks from Italy, likely originated in the region of Piedmont in the 17th century. They were first created in Turin around 1679 by a baker named Antonio Brunero. According to tradition, they were made for the young Duke of Savoy, Vittorio Amedeo II, who suffered from digestive problems and was said to tolerate baked breadsticks better than regular bread.
Grissini quickly became popular throughout Italy and beyond. By the 18th and 19th centuries, they were enjoyed by European courts and even praised by Napoleon. Today, grissini remain a classic Italian snack, typically served as an appetizer with cured meats, cheeses, or wrapped in prosciutto, especially in their birthplace of Piedmont.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – white all purpose flour. Or use whole wheat flour instead.
- Water – lukewarm.
- Olive oil – extra virgin.
- Sourdough starter – discard or fed starter.
- Instant dry yeast – add only if sourdough discard is used.
- Sea salt
- Semolina flour – for rolling the breadsticks in before baking.
How to make Italian Sourdough Breadsticks?
1st: Combine the sourdough starter, olive oil and water. Stir well to dissolve the starter well. Then add in the flour and instant dry yeast if using discard. Knead a soft dough.
2nd: Let the dough rise – to double in size. Divide into equal pieces and roll out each into a thin stick with the size of your baking sheet. The thinner the stick, the crispier the grissini at the end.
3rd: Dust each grissini with semolina flour on all sides. Arrange onto baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake as directed and serve immediately (grissini will be soft). Or alternatively cover with a cloth and let the grissini dry out completely for the perfect crunch.
VARIATIONS
Use whole wheat flour: Instead of while all purpose flour this recipe can be prepared with whole wheat flour. You can substitute 1 to 1, meaning use 350g whole wheat flour instead of 350g white flour.
Experiment with Herbs: Add your favorite herb seasoning blend to the dough to tailor the taste.
Add more: Add cheese, dried tomatoes, olives or seeds like sesame seeds to the dough to change it’s flavor profile.
Italian sourdough grissini (breadsticks)
Ingredients
- 350 g flour
- 100 g sourdough starter, (fed or discard)
- 160 g water, lukewarm
- 50 g olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tbsp. instant dry yeast, if using discard
- pinch of sea salt
- semolina flour for dusting the breadsticks
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine sourdough, lukewarm water, olive oil and stir.
- Then, add in the flour and instant dry yeast (if using discard). Sprinkle with salt and knead a soft, non-stick dough.
- Let the dough rise, covered with a damp cloth until it doubles it size.
- Next, divide the dough into small equally sized pieces. Roll out each piece into a long stick-like shape.
- Then, cover each breadstick with semolina flour by rolling the grissini in the flour.
- Place all breadsticks onto a baking tray, covered with baking paper.
- Bake in preheated oven on 180C/360F until slightly golden. Serve immediately while still hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Simply delicious! 🤤 Snack!! I have made it several times with different fillings (cheese, olives, dried tomatoes) big hit among hubby’s colleagues as well. Thank you Ana for this foolproof recipe ❤️
Aw, thank you so much for the kind words.