Makes approximately 100 bread sticks.
Ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups of bread flour or all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Grapeseed oil
Poppy seeds
Method
1. Activate the yeast by adding the pinch of sugar to the dry yeast, and then add about a ⅓ of the lukewarm water. It should start to bubble within 5 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients together, add the bubbling yeast, and mix together well.
3. Kneed for a few moments. Rub with oil and cover with plastic and a cloth, and leave in a warm place. Allow to rise to about double the size which should take around 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Oil 4 baking sheets.
6. Take a handful of the dough, leaving the rest covered. Dust well with flour and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it’s very thin (about 2mm thick).
7. Use a pizza cutter to cut into strips of about 10 mm wide.
8. Place on the baking sheet and brush with oil.
9. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
10. Bake for between 8 and 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
11. Cool and store in an airtight container. They keep well for about 1 month in an airtight container.
Note: If the Grissini / bread sticks are well floured it makes separating them after they have been cut much easier!
Variation: Add paprika instead of rosemary for a different flavour.
Tips: Store them in an airtight container and they stay crisp and fresh for a while.
Serving suggestions: I wrapped a delicate slice of smoked kudu carpaccio around the tip of each.
