Breadsticks, also known as grissini, grissino or dipping sticks, (''ghërsin'' in ) are generally
pencil-sized sticks of crisp, dry baked
bread
Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
that originated in
Piedmont, a
region of
Italy. There is also a soft-baked breadstick version popular in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
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. 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-American restaurants such as
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American casual dining restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in Orange County, Florida. As of 2012, Olive Garden restaurants accounted ...
, breadsticks may be offered as an
appetizer. 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 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 (food), 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 ...
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
The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous comm ...
.
baking tray
Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferre ...
, seasoned with herbs
Image:Bread Sticks.jpg, Wide, soft breadsticks in a basket
Image:Grissinistirati.jpg, ''Grissini'' in the proper case to be served at table
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