Rosemary Black Olive Grissini Recipe

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Afraid to bake because you think you'll mess it up? Grab a copy of blogger-turned-cookbook author Charmian Christie's The Messy Baker and break out that flour. Whether you're a shaky-handed cake fiend or a pie lover who just can't seem to make an aesthetically pleasing pastry, there's a recipe in here for you. First up, Italian breadsticks — grissini — that actually look better a little malformed. 

These long, thin, crunchy breadsticks appeal to the child in me. I love how they snap when bitten and release their olive undertone. Even more, I love to play with them. Use them instead of a spoon to stir creme fraiche into your soup. Turn them into edible chopsticks and devour some roasted cauliflower or challenge your fellow diners to a grissini duel. The winner gets all the breadsticks.

Reprinted with permission from The Messy Baker

Rosemary Black Olive Grissini Recipe
No Ratings
Prep Time
2.5
hours
Cook Time
20
minutes
Servings
7
dozen breadsticks
Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup black olive paste (see tip below)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
Directions
  1. Either by hand in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the water, flour, yeast, salt, olive paste and rosemary.
  2. When the dough comes together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. The dough will be slightly oily because of the olive paste.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume (60 to 90 minutes).
  4. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  5. If your oven has a convection setting, place 3 racks in the oven and adjust the temperature according to your oven's requirements. Otherwise, place a rack in the center and bake 1 pan at a time.
  6. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don't have enough pans, cut at least 4 sheets of parchment so you have something to set the cut dough on.
  7. On a lightly greased work surface, roll the dough to a rectangle about 20 inches by 12 inches. The dough will be very easy to roll.
  8. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough so you have strips that are 10 inches long and 1/4 inch wide.
  9. Gently roll each breadstick beneath your palms to round the edges. If you like a twist in your breadstick, roll the ends in opposite directions.
  10. Place the sticks on the baking sheets (or just on parchment paper if you don't have enough baking sheets) at least 1/4-inch apart.
  11. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
  12. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
  13. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. Grissini will keep in an airtight container for several days. Just keep the humidity away.
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