Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
- 250 g (2 cups) sifted all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 10 g (⅓ oz) fresh yeast (or 5 g / 1½ tsp active dry yeast)
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) lukewarm water
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
For sprinkling
- sesame seeds, poppy seeds, anise seeds, rosemary, thyme, flaky sea salt, or chopped olives
Making the breadstick dough
- In a bowl, mix the lukewarm water with the yeast (and the sugar, if using). Let it foam for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer), combine the flour and salt. Add the water-yeast mixture and the olive oil. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shaping the breadsticks
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), fan/convection. Punch down the dough and roll it out into a rectangle about 1 cm (⅜ inch) thick. Cut into strips 1 cm (⅜ inch) wide and roll them lightly to stretch them out (about 20 cm / 8 inches long). Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with seeds and flaky sea salt, if you like.
Baking the breadsticks
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
Variations
- For the olive version, chop a handful of Kalamata olives and pat them dry with paper towels so they don’t add too much moisture to the dough.
- Add 1 tsp herbes de Provence or chopped rosemary and work it into the dough.
- For a Parmesan version, add 40 g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan to the dough.
- The breadsticks will keep for 5 to 7 days at room temperature in an airtight container, and they can also be frozen unbaked. If they lose a little of their crunch, pop them in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 3-4 minutes to crisp them back up.