Cestino Di Grissini Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 100–110°F / 38–43°C) with honey and sprinkle the active dry yeast over the surface. Stir gently and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy and fragrant.

Mix dough

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook), combine the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt. Make a well, pour in the activated yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or low-speed mixer until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface or continue with the mixer. Knead 6–8 minutes by hand (4–5 minutes in the mixer) until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly springy. If dough feels too dry, add up to 1–2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, dust with a little flour.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm draft-free spot 60–75 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.

Shape grissini

Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 24 equal pieces (about 1.25 oz / 35 g each). Roll each piece into a pencil-thin rope about 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) long, tapering slightly at the ends. For uniform grissini press and roll from center outward. If using seeds, brush each stick lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and roll in sesame or fennel seeds.

Second rest and preheat

Place shaped sticks on parchment-lined baking sheets dusted with semolina, spacing 1 inch apart. Cover loosely with a clean towel and let rest 20–30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Bake

Brush each stick very lightly with the remaining olive oil (use a pastry brush) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake in the preheated oven 12–15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until golden-brown and crisp. Thinner sticks may take less time; watch closely to avoid burning.

Cool

Transfer baked grissini to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp further as they cool. Let cool at least 20 minutes before handling for basket construction.

Prepare mold

Choose a heatproof small bowl or ramekin approximately 5–6 inches (12–15 cm) wide to form the basket interior. Lightly oil the outside of that bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then set it on a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. The greased side will help the grissini release after warming.

Weave/arrange grissini to form basket

There are two simple methods: upright fan or woven cradle. For an upright fan basket: arrange 10–12 cooled grissini upright around the outside rim of the inverted mold bowl, leaning them and overlapping slightly so they touch at the top. For a woven cradle: lay 6–8 grissini in a star pattern across the top of the inverted bowl, then carefully interlace additional sticks horizontally around them to create walls. Both methods rely on gentle overlap and contact points.

Warm to set shape (optional)

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Place the formed grissini basket on a parchment-lined baking sheet and warm 6–8 minutes to set the joins—do not brown. This helps the sticks hold shape. Remove and cool completely on the mold for 5–10 minutes, then very gently lift the basket off the mold. If any sticks are loose, you can dab a little beaten egg white (not listed as an ingredient) or a tiny bit of warmed honey at contact points to glue; use sparingly and only if needed.

Serve

Place the basket on a serving plate and fill with antipasti: cured meats, cheeses, olives or crostini as desired. Grissini will stay crisp at room temperature for 2–3 days if stored in an airtight container.