Far from being little more than crisp vehicles for the prosciutto , these have the flavor of a freshly baked olive-oil bread.
• Grissini can be made 5 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Recipe information
Total Time
3 hr
Yield
Makes about 32 long thin breadsticks
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and sugar in bowl of mixer and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
Step 2
Add semolina flour, "00" flour, and salt to yeast mixture along with oil and remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water and mix at low speed until a very soft dough forms. If necessary, mix in just enough "00" flour (up to 1/4 cup) to prevent dough from sticking to side of bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft). Scrape dough into center of bowl and dust with 2 tablespoons additional "00" flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4
Punch down dough and turn out onto a floured surface (do not knead), then cut dough in half. Keeping 1 half covered with plastic wrap, cut other half into 16 equal pieces and roll each into a 15- to 16-inch rope (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick), lightly dusting your hands if dough is sticky. Arrange ropes 1/2 inch apart on 1 baking sheet, then make more ropes with remaining dough and arrange on second baking sheet.
Step 5
Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until grissini are pale golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.
