Do you know stretched breadsticks? They are the long, irregular, but very crunchy ones. Here is my version, the stretched herb breadsticks, very simple to prepare.
Since I discovered this type of 12-hour leavened dough, I haven’t let it go. On the blog, you can find bread, pizza, crackers, just knead them, and put in the fridge overnight, then let it acclimate again and proceed.
Today I used it to make the stretched herb breadsticks with thyme and marjoram, very fragrant and especially crunchy.
Do you know how breadsticks were born? They originate from Piemonte, and the name comes from ghërsa, the elongated bread. The baker Antonio Brunero invented them in 1679, the court baker, for little Vittorio Amedeo II who was allergic to the bread crumb.
Breadsticks became very popular because they preserved well and were digestible.
You can see other types of breadsticks on the blog:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 13 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 40 breadsticks
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Stretched Herb Breadsticks
This recipe yields 40 breadsticks and requires baking twice
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (organic)
- 1 1/4 cups water (warm)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice malt
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp thyme (dried)
- 1 tsp marjoram (dried)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Metal Dough Scraper
Steps
Sift the flour and pour it into the stand mixer. Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water and pour it with the flour. Add the water and start mixing with the hook. Also add the oil, always letting the flour absorb the liquids. Knead for ten minutes and towards the end, add the salt and herbs.
Transfer the dough to the floured board and make some reinforcement folds. Place in an oiled bowl, let it rest for half an hour at room temperature, and then move to the fridge for the night.
The next morning, (or in the evening if you knead in the morning) or anyway 12 hours after you moved the dough to the fridge, let it acclimate for an hour at room temperature and then gently bring it back to the floured table.
Gently roll it out, sprinkle more herbs, make some folds, round it, and let it rest for a few more minutes.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle and with a dough cutter make strips about half an inch wide.
Cover again and let the dough relax for another half an hour. In a tray pour some durum wheat semolina, in another lay parchment paper. Stretch each breadstick to the length of the tray, pass it first in the semolina, and then lay it in the other, slightly spacing the breadsticks.
Continue and then bake for about 25 minutes at 390°F, being careful not to over-brown them.
Let cool on a rack and store in a bag.
Thyme and Lentils Tips
You can change the herbs, you can add seeds in the last rising.
