Breadsticks with Sourdough

Name: Breadsticks with Sourdough
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Sourdough starter refreshed 6 oz; Type 00 flour 1 ½ cup; Water ½ cup; Fine salt 1 tsp; Dried onions 1.8 oz; Smoked pancetta 1 oz; Semolina 1 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp; Fine salt 1 ½ tsp

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Lactose Free

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low
Note + 3 hours of rising

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sara Bonaccorsi

Sourdough grissini from Piedmont, Italy—where they really know their breadsticks—are something special. And you know what? When you use lievito madre, that traditional sourdough starter, the flavor totally levels up. These aren't just crispy; they are fragrant and filled with that savory magic you only get from real care.

Onion and smoked pancetta? Oh, they add a punch, making each bite tender and smoky. It's a flavor you don’t find in just any Italian breadstick. People in Piedmont have been making homemade grissini for ages, and you can totally taste the difference when you stick to those old-school methods.

Look, keeping that sourdough starter happy takes some patience, but when your kitchen fills with the smell of golden breadsticks, it’s so, so worth it.

Grabbing a sourdough grissini from the basket feels like a real treat. Really, it does. They’re amazing as a standalone snack—crunchy with that smoky pancetta edge. But also, they work super well with other appetizers. People in Italy? They pair these with creamy dips like hummus, or a thick Parmesan cream, and that's a combo you gotta try.

This sourdough breadstick recipe isn't just for special occasions. Nope, it fits right into everyday meals or as a quick bite with a glass of wine. Plus, using a sourdough starter means you can make use of that sourdough discard—super handy for anyone into easy sourdough recipes and hates wasting good stuff.

Whether filling up a bread basket for friends or just snagging a snack, these moist and crispy grissini bring a bit of Piedmont to your table. The care you give your sourdough starter? It totally shows in every bite, making these breadsticks a way, way awesome way to share a taste of Italian tradition with everyone you know. Really, you can't go wrong with them.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 35 breadsticks: Sourdough starter 6 oz (170 g) - refreshed; Type 00 flour 1 ½ cup (205 g); Water ½ cup (125 g); Fine salt 1 tsp (5 g); Dried onions 1.8 oz (50 g); Smoked pancetta 1 oz (30 g)

for the surface: Semolina 1 oz (30 g); Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp (40 g); Fine salt 1 ½ tsp (10 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Breadsticks with Sourdough

Place the smoked bacon cubes in a pan 1 and brown them for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Let them cool completely 2. Break the refreshed sourdough into a bowl, pour in 50 g of lukewarm water taken from the total amount 3.

Stir to dissolve it 4. Pour the flour into the mixing bowl 5 and add the dissolved sourdough 6. Attach the dough hook and set to medium speed. Gradually add the remaining water in a thin stream, little by little, continuing to knead.

Knead for 10 minutes, then stop the mixer and add the fine salt 7, dried onion, and crispy bacon 8. Continue kneading until the dough is well combined 9.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; flatten the dough with your hands 10 and shape into a rectangle about 0.8 inches thick. Brush with 20 g of extra virgin olive oil 11, salt, and sprinkle with durum wheat semolina flour 12.

Let the dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature (no more than 79°F and away from drafts), covered with plastic wrap 13. After the rising time, use a smooth-bladed wheel to cut strips of dough from the narrow side, about 0.6 inches wide 14; gently stretch them with your hands to reach the desired length, about 12 inches 15.

Arrange the breadsticks on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spacing them slightly apart. Mix 20 g of extra virgin olive oil with 5 g of fine salt. Brush the breadsticks with this mixture 16. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. Bake in a preheated static oven at 374°F for about 20 minutes. Remove the sourdough breadsticks from the oven 17 and let them cool completely on a rack before serving 18.