Grissini with sourdough starter

Homemade grissini with sourdough starter can bring a touch of craftsmanship and tradition to your table. Below is a basic recipe for making sourdough breadsticks.

Ingredients

• 200 g of refreshed sourdough starter
• 300 g of type 00 flour or type 1 flour
• 50 g of water
• 50 g of extra virgin olive oil
• 10 g of salt
• Semolina or flour for processing

Preparation

1. Begin by refreshing the sourdough starter a few hours before you start making the breadsticks, to ensure that it is active and ready for use.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sourdough starter and gradually add water until you have a homogeneous mixture.
3. Add the oil and salt and continue to work the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
4. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 2-3 hours, or until it has doubled in volume.
5. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured or semolina-sprinkled work surface.
6. Divide the dough into small portions, which you will then stretch with your hands to form long, thin sticks of the size you prefer.
7. Arrange the grissini on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, keeping them apart to prevent sticking during cooking.
8. Let the grissini rest for another 30 minutes at room temperature.
9. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and, once hot, bake the grissini for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
10. Remove the grissini from the oven and let them cool on a rack before serving.

Curiosity

Grissini originated in the Piedmont region during the 17th century and were supposedly created for the young Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy who had digestive difficulties. Their name comes from “ghersa”, the typical Turinese bread of the time, and over the years, they have become an authentic specialty of the region, known and appreciated all over the world.