Soft Breadsticks
Submitted by djk
Soft breadsticks kneaded with rosemary and oregano, brushed with egg wash, and baked on a cornmeal-dusted sheet for a crisp crust with a tender, herby crumb.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
2 hrsCOOK
20 minREADY
2 hrsThese Italian-style breadsticks hit the sweet spot between the crunchy grissini you snap off at a restaurant and the pillowy dinner rolls you sop sauce with. The dough is soft and enriched with dried rosemary and oregano, kneaded smooth and left to double for a good hour and a half.
A long, slow rise is what makes the difference here. The recipe even notes that going longer gives you that French-bread-style crumb, with those irregular little holes and a slight tangy depth you can’t shortcut.
Each 9-inch rope gets a quick egg white wash and a shower of poppy or sesame seeds before baking on a cornmeal-dusted sheet. The cornmeal prevents sticking and leaves a nubby, toasty bottom crust.
Kitchen Tips
- Water temperature for proofing matters. Aim for 105°F to 110°F (40°C to 43°C). Hotter kills the yeast, cooler and it barely wakes up.
- Don’t over-flour when rolling the ropes. A lightly floured surface is fine. Too much dry flour on the outside means tough crust.
- Let them cool on a rack, not the pan. Trapped steam underneath turns the crisp bottom soggy fast.
Variations
- Skip the herbs and coat the dough in grated Parmesan and black pepper for cacio e pepe sticks.
- Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt before baking for a simpler, more focaccia-like flavor.
- Add a teaspoon of garlic powder to the dough and serve warm alongside marinara for dipping.
Ingredients
Directions
Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
Stir in sugar, salt, rosemary, oregano, 2 cups of the flour and the oil.
Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle (dough will be soft).
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.
Knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in greased medium bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place 1½ to 2 hours or until double. (Longer rising gives typical French bread texture.)
Grease large cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Divide dough into 24 equal parts. Roll and shape each part into rope, about 9 inches long, sprinkling with flour if dough is too sticky.
Place on cookie sheet. Mix egg white and 2 tablespoons cold water. Brush over breadsticks.
Sprinkle with poppy seed. Heat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Bake about 20 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and crisp.
Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Store loosely covered.
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