Hand-pulled breadsticks (grissini stirati)

Bread
hand-pulled breadsticks (grissini stirati)

A specialty of Turin, Piedmont, grissini -- crunchy, long breadsticks -- are usually part of an antipasto or appetizer, where they are served with paper-thin slices of prosciutto or other salumi, cheese, olives, and other nibbles. And they're very easy to make at home -- perfect for your next party. <br /> <br />These breadsticks are shaped by pulling rather than rolling, which makes for a wonderfully airy crunch. Once you master the original, why not coat the sticks in poppy seeds, sesame seeds, mixed seeds, or even dried herbs instead of semolina? Or you can leave the semolina out if you prefer smooth, plain grissini. <br /> <br />The recipe and proportions for traditional grissini are pretty standard. You could also use all-purpose flour for this instead of bread flour, but the extra protein content in bread flour adds great elasticity to the breadsticks. That way, when you are shaping (pulling) the dough, you won't risk it breaking. The following recipe is adapted slightly (mostly in the method) from Carol Field's recipe for Grissini Torinesi from The Italian Baker.

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