I’m struggling to think of many things that I prefer in bought form over homemade. Chocolate is one. I don’t own a conching machine (who does?!) so my homemade chocolate is a little gritty and therefore not as perfectly uplifting as the shop version. Croissants. Look, I can make them and they’re OK, they absolutely resemble croissants, but are they as perfectly flaky and ethereally crunchy as pastry chefs with years of actual training can make? They are not. I’m very happy to pay for French pastry expertise.
Breadsticks though. These are universally better homemade. Crispy and fresh, and they’ll stay that way in an airtight container for at least a week, although they won’t be there that long because you’ll enjoy them as a snack, you’ll impress your friends with them on a grazing platter, and you’ll find yourself making a dip just to poke them into.
Italian in origin, called grissini, I was surprised and thrilled to find them in jars on tables in New York restaurants when I first visited 30 years ago, offered as an appetiser. I sought them out when I came home only to be soundly disappointed over and over with slightly sandy supermarket versions.
Careful, though. Homemade breadsticks are really delicious and might just become legendary with your family and friends. You’ll be asked to make them over and over. People will look at your hands when you arrive at a gathering, hoping to see breadsticks. Luckily they are truly simple to make.
Serve them with soup or beers, or they also double efficiently as a Harry Potter wand. Kids love them. I hope you do too.
Makes 24
Ingredients
200 ml warm water
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
350 g bread flour (strong or high-protein flour), or plain (all-purpose) flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
Method
Put the warm water into a jug and stir in the yeast and sugar. Leave aside for a few minutes to froth. (If it doesn’t froth at all your yeast isn’t active and you’ll need a new packet.)
In a large bowl, put your flour and salt and olive oil, and pour in the yeast mixture.
Mix together until well combined, then knead for 2–3 minutes. You can do this whole process in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a Thermomix, or by hand.
Cover the bowl with a teatowel or wax wrap (or a showercap!) and leave to sit for an hour at room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking trays.
Divide the dough into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a long log about 25 cm (10 in). (Don’t roll on an overly-floured board; they won’t roll properly. Stainless steel is ideal, or a well-anchored chopping board. With two hands, roll from the middle of the breadstick outwards, to get it to the right length.)
Place them onto the trays, leaving space in between as they’re going to expand, and use a pastry brush to brush them with water and sprinkle with some extra flaky salt or parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, fresh finely chopped rosemary, poppy seeds or whatever you like.
Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
Allow to cool completely either on the trays or on a wire rack before storing. They’ll store well in an airtight container for about 1 week.
Take them to the next dinner party in a tall jar as a host gift and you will be the favourite. Magic!
Recipe adapted from Fiona Weir’s book “From Scratch” published by Hardie Grant 2022, photography by Alan Benson