Breadsticks

Breadsticks, also known as grissini (sg.: grissino; Piedmontese: ghërsin, pronounced [gəɾˈsiŋ]) or grissini torinesi, are generally pencil-sized sticks of crisp, dry baked bread that originated in the Italian city of Turin, Piedmont.

Breadstick

Grissini in a restaurant in Turin, Italy
Alternative names	Grissini, grissini torinesi
Type	Bread
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Turin, Piedmont
Created by	Antonio Brunero (according to traditions)
Main ingredients	Flour, water, yeast
Media: Breadstick

History

It is believed that the breadstick originated in 1643, when a Florentine abbot described a long-shaped and "bone-thin" bread being made in Lanzo Torinese, a town outside of Turin. Tradition states, however, that it originated in the region of Piedmont in the 17th century, invented by a baker called Antonio Brunero, from Turin. It was a food that was intended to be easier to digest for the Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy, who had digestive problems in his childhood.

Serving

In Italian restaurants, breadsticks are often offered as an appetizer (antipasto), especially in their traditional shape, together with or replacing bread, which is commonly provided with all meals. They may also be combined with ingredients such as prosciutto. This appears to be the case with restaurants in the United States as well; in some instances or regions, they may be a type that is larger than pencil-sized, as well as soft instead of hard.

In many North American restaurants, breadsticks are soft, frequently topped with butter, garlic, and cheese when served as appetizers; as a dessert item, they can be topped with cinnamon, sugar, and icing.

Pre-made, dried breadsticks can be found being sold in markets as a quick snack or a pre-meal appetizer for home use, somewhat similar to a cracker. In Italy they are often consumed as a snack on their own, but in the United States they are usually served with a dip of some sort, such as cheese.

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  Unbaked home-made grissini on a baking tray, seasoned with herbs
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  Grissini in the proper case to be served at table

See also

  Media related to Grissini at Wikimedia Commons

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