Grissini

Great little rosemary flavored breadsticks to serve with drinks before dinner.

:Makes About 200:

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These are great little breadsticks to serve with wine along with olives before your dinner. I always have these on hand when entertaining. They are very easy to make, but a hand cranked pasta machine is used to cut them uniformly. You could roll and cut them by hand, but you would not get the thin, crisp texture. They keep well for about 1 month in an air tight container.


Ingredients:

1 Pkg. Active Dry Yeast

2 Cups Warm Water

Pinch of Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Extra Needed For Baking)

1/4 Cups Fresh Rosemary, Finely Chopped

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

6 Cups of All-Purpose Unbleached Flour


Day 1: In a small bowl, stir the yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir. Leaves 10 minutes to ferment. Stir together the flour, cheese, rosemary and pepper. Place in a mound on a large board or counter, and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining water, and the oil into the well. Mix together until stiff, and knead by hand until smooth for about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day2: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 4 baking sheets. Take a handful of the dough, leaving the rest covered. Dust well with flour and press into a flat disk. Run the the first setting of the rollers in your pasta machine. Dust again with flour and roll through a second time. Again dust with flour and pass through the fettuccine cutter on the pasta machine. Carefully separate the grissini and place on the baking sheets so they do not touch. Brush with a little more oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Note: If the Grissini are well floured it makes separating them after they have been cut much easier!


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002