Breadsticks, also known as grissini, grissino or dipping sticks, (''ghërsin'' in ) are generally
pencil
A pencil () is a writing or drawing implement with a solid pigment core in a protective casing that reduces the risk of core breakage, and keeps it from marking the user's hand.
Pencils create marks by physical abrasion (mechanical), abra ...
-sized sticks of crisp, dry baked
bread that originated in
Piedmont
it, Piemontese
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, a
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. There is also a soft-baked breadstick version popular in
North America.
History
It's believed that it 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
Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. Th ...
. Tradition states, however, that it originated in the region of
Piedmont
it, Piemontese
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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-American restaurants such as
Olive Garden, breadsticks may be offered as an
appetizer
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...
. In some instances or regions, they may be a type that is larger than pencil-sized, as well as soft instead of hard. They may also be combined with ingredients such as
prosciutto
''Prosciutto crudo'', in English often shortened to prosciutto ( , ), is Italian uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham. ''Prosciutto crudo'' is usually served thinly sliced.
Several regions in Italy have their own variations of ''prosciutto cru ...
as an
hors d'œuvre
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the m ...
.
In many North American restaurants, breadsticks are soft, frequently topped with butter, garlic, and cheese when served as appetizers; as a
dessert
Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and most parts o ...
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
Cracker, crackers or The Crackers may refer to:
Animals
* ''Hamadryas'' (butterfly), or crackers, a genus of brush-footed butterflies
* '' Sparodon'', a monotypic genus whose species is sometimes known as "Cracker"
Arts and entertainment Films ...
. Usually served with a dip of some sort, such as cheese.
Another recipe for breadsticks, called ''rosquilletas'', exists in
Comunitat Valenciana.
See also
*
Baguette, the larger, long loaf of bread from France
*
Pretzel sticks
References
{{Bread
Italian breads
Italian-American cuisine
Greek-American cuisine
Spanish-American cuisine
Valencian cuisine
Lanzo Torinese