Basil Breadsticks

Basil Breadsticks are crispy baked bread. Plain breadsticks or grissini as they’re called in Italian, are popular appetizers in restaurants in Italy, Spain, and other European countries, US, and Australia. The basil breadsticks pack a lot of flavor along with crunch.

Serve the basil breadsticks as appetizer or as a light meal with a soup.

Servings: 12 (makes 24)
Cooking Time: 20 minutes (1 1/2 hours for the dough)

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 oz (1 sachet) dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 7-8 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
• 4 cloves, garlic, crushed (optional)
• 1 tsp sea-salt crystals

Preparation

1. Warm 1 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl. Stir in the sugar and yeast. Cover and keep in a warm place for about 5-10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Sift the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast water and mix the dough; add more water if the dough is too dry. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add 4-5 tsp olive oil and knead well.
3. On a lightly-floured surface, flatten the dough into a rectangle. Put the basil and crushed garlic on one end, roll, and knead to incorporate evenly into the dough.
4. Place in a large bowl, cover with plastic, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
6. Brush 2 large baking trays with a little olive oil.
7. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes and divide it into 24 equal portions.
8. Roll each portion into a 12-inch stick. Sprinkle a little sea-salt on each one. Place on the baking tray and brush lightly with water.
9. Bake the basil breadsticks with for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.
10. Serve the basil breadsticks with a soup of your choice or as an appetizer with a dip of your choice.

Cooking Tip

Store the leftover breadsticks in an airtight container to keep fresh for up to a week.

Category: Fusion Cooking