Grissini Torinesi
Turin aristocratic breadsticks began as a medical prescription for a sickly duke and became a royal obsession. These elegant hand-stretched batons so captivated Napoleon that he commissioned regular deliveries across the Alps.
- 500gBread flour
- 7gActive dry yeast
- 300mlWarm water
- 3 tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
- 10gSalt
- 1 tspMalt syrup(optional, for color)
Store in airtight container up to 1 week. Re-crisp in 350°F oven for 5 minutes if needed.
- 1Dissolve yeast in warm water with malt syrup, let bloom 10 minutes
- 2Mix flour and salt, add yeast mixture and olive oil
- 3Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes
- 4Rest dough covered for 1 hour until doubled
- 5Divide into small pieces, roll and stretch each into thin 12-inch sticks
- 6Place on parchment-lined baking sheets
- 7Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes until golden and crisp
Stretch by rolling under your palms while moving hands outward. Twist ends for traditional look.
According to tradition, grissini were invented in Turin in 1679 by baker Antonio Brunero at the request of royal physician Don Baldo Pecchio. Young Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy reportedly suffered digestive problems and could not tolerate the soft crumb of traditional ghersa bread. Napoleon Bonaparte became so enamored with "les petits bâtons de Turin" that he established stagecoach service between Turin and Paris. Today grissini are recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT) of Piedmont.