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Grissini are bread sticks from Italy. They are often served in Italian establishments as a compliment. Waiters line up a row of grissini, placed in a glass goblet or weightless wicker basket, and serve to each customer before the meal. Most often, bright ingredients like basil, garlic powder or olive oil are added to the composition of the sticks. They convey the traditional spirit of the establishment and fill the evening with Italian motives.
What is interesting grissini, how to cook them and what to eat?
General product characteristics
Grissini – miniature sticks made from wheat flour with the addition of spices / vegetables or oils. The Italian name “Grissini” is translated as bread sticks or bread sticks. Most often they are served as an appetizer before taking out the main dishes. Wheat sticks are eaten by hand from a special container in which the product is taken out. Grissini starts the function of salivation, stimulates appetite and prepares the gastrointestinal tract for active work.
Bread sticks are served not only as a snack, but also as a dessert. Sweet ingredients can be added during the kneading process of the dough or pour / fill the grissini with chocolate / honey / jam immediately before serving. Also, sticks can be used in main dishes:
- serve with soup instead of regular bread;
- cut into a salad;
- serve with meat or fish to increase the nutritional value and diversify the taste;
- make a piece of a complicated cake or any other dessert.
A Brief Historical Reference
The history of the origin of the bakery product is shrouded in mystery and omissions. There are several theories, but the most popular of them is about the royal doctor. Personal doctor of one of the Italian princes came up with breadsticks to solve the problem of digestion of his highness.
The story took place in the XIV century in Turin. The Italian prince had a weak immune system and was very often sick. No matter how hard the doctors tried to raise him to his feet, the prince weakened and often refused meals. One of the court doctors decided that dry bread would help put the prince back on his feet. He consulted with the chefs and they created a grissini that was neutral in taste, which really helped the prince and saved the country from the battle for the throne. How exactly dry bread helped in the treatment of the disease is unknown, but this is the story that tourists in the Italian provinces love to tell.
Another version of the origin of the snack is related to the economic situation in Italy. In the XIV century, Piedmont was under the blow of inflation and a very difficult economic situation. At that time, even bread became a kind of valuable currency. It was sold not by weight, but by the piece, clearly following the number of baguettes, issued in one hand.
When the internal situation became even more difficult, the authorities decided to reduce the amount of bread that was given to the population. As a result, a massive baguette became a small thin stick, which was called grissini.
Gradually, the economic situation of the country returned to normal, and breadsticks became the favorite snack of the local population. Some time later, the Grissini interested the French. French ruler Louis XIV was so fascinated by Italian bakery products that he invited two Turin bakers to his house. French cooks, who previously could not solve the dough recipe, took over the experience and learned the secrets of Italian cuisine from the first hand.
Even Napoleon liked the salty delicacy. He regularly requested whole batches of delicious bread bars from Turin or sent them couriers.
Chocolate Grissini Recipe
| Caloric value | Proteins | Fats | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 268 kCal | 7,2 g | 2,2 g | 55,9 g |
Below is a recipe for grissini from traditional ingredients that everyone can find in their own kitchen. If you want to improve the composition and make it more useful, then use a different type of flour (for example, whole wheat or nut wheat), high-quality chocolate with a high cocoa content or carob. You can also add nuts or dried fruits to the dough.
We need:
- wheat flour – 400 grams;
- filtered warm water – 200 milliliters;
- dry yeast – 7 grams (or 50 grams of “live” yeast);
- sugar – 2 teaspoons (can be replaced with honey);
- chocolate or chocolate drops – 100 grams;
- Salt – a pinch.
Preparation
Prepare the yeast according to the package instructions. Pour flour into a deep container, make a large hole in it, pour in the prepared yeast, water, add sugar and salt. Grate the chocolate on a fine grater or use chocolate drops. Add chopped chocolate to the mixture and knead the dough. The kneading should last about 10-15 minutes. You should get a soft elastic dough that does not stick to your hands, but also not clogged with an excessive amount of flour. Wrap the finished dough in a kitchen towel and let it stand in a warm place for 40-60 minutes.
Cut the dough into strips. Roll up sausages that are 3-5 thick centimeters from these strips. Traditional grissini should be no more than a pencil, but you can experiment with shapes and sizes.
Cut the sausages into thin discs (thickness – about 2 centimeters) and roll them into a thin flagellum. Keep in mind that the yeast will cause the dough to rise, so make the sticks very thin and miniature.
Cover the baking sheet with baking paper, put the figure dough on it. Place the grissini at a distance of centimeters 1-1,5 from each other. Let the dough rest for at least 20 minutes, and at this time, preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Send bread sticks to bake for 10-15 minutes until tender. Cool the cooked dish or serve immediately.