Grissini

You can use any bread dough, even sourdough if you have it, but the addition of lard makes these heavenly. You could also use the fat that comes to the surface of the stock from the pork after refrigerating.

• makes

  20

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 7 g sachet dried yeast
• ½ tsp sugar
• 250 g bread flour (see Note), plus extra, to dust
• 60 g lard

Instructions

Place yeast, sugar and 1 tbsp lukewarm water in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Stand for 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles.

Combine flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in yeast mixture and 140 ml lukewarm water.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth. Smother dough with the lard, place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size. Knead for 3 minutes to incorporate the lard.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Divide dough into 20 pieces and, using extra flour, stretch out into 30 cm-long strands, slightly thinner than your little finger (about 6 mm). Place 5mm apart on a lightly greased oven tray.

Bake for 12 minutes or until grissini are golden and crisp.

Note

Bread flour has a higher gluten content than regular flour, which gives the dough its elasticity and chewy texture. Substitute plain flour.

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 8, pg37.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.