A Vintage 80’s Recipe for Italian Breadsticks (Grissini)

An Italian recipe still treasured today

Makes 25–30 breadsticks

This vintage grissini (Italian breadsticks) recipe comes from 1982, a time when homemade breadsticks were becoming popular outside Italy. Made with simple pantry ingredients, these crisp Italian breadsticks are perfect alongside soup, salads, cheese boards, or simply enjoyed with butter.

Ingredients

300 ml milk
1½ teaspoons dried yeast
½ teaspoon caster sugar
450 g white bread flour
25 g butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt

This recipe uses margarine, a common ingredient in many 1980s home baking recipes, although butter can be used for a richer flavour.

How to make: Crispy Homemade Grissini (Italian Breadsticks)

The Way Nonna Dita did..

Method:

Warm the milk until it is lukewarm. Stir in the dried yeast and caster sugar until dissolved.
Place 100 g of the bread flour into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes bubbly and foamy.
Stir the melted butter into the yeast mixture. Gradually add the remaining bread flour and the salt, mixing until a firm dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Leave it to rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 25–30 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a thin rope about the thickness of your little finger and approximately 20–30 cm (8–12 inches) long. Try to keep the breadsticks an even thickness so they bake evenly.
Arrange the breadsticks on a lightly greased baking tray, leaving a little space between them. Cover loosely and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.
Brush each breadstick lightly with milk for a golden finish.
Bake on the upper oven rack in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for about 25–30 minutes, or until the breadsticks are crisp and evenly golden brown.
Transfer the grissini to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving. They become even crispier as they cool. Store in an airtight container for several days.

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The recipe itself is based on the traditional Italian breadstick known as grissini, which originated in the Turin region in the 17th century. The 1982 version is vintage, while the bread itself has a much longer history.

The Story Behind Italian Breadsticks

Grissini have been part of Italian baking for more than 300 years. They are believed to have originated in Turin in the late 1600s, where bakers created a long, thin bread that was easier to digest than a traditional loaf.

Their crisp texture also helped them stay fresh for longer, making them practical for travel and everyday meals. Before long, grissini had become a familiar sight on restaurant tables across Italy, served as a simple snack before a meal or alongside cured meats, cheeses, olives, and soups.

Today, they remain one of Italy’s best-known breads, enjoyed in both rustic handmade versions and the thin, crunchy breadsticks found in bakeries throughout the country.

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Add something special

Sesame seeds are one of the most traditional toppings for grissini in Italy.

Here’s how to do it:

After shaping the breadsticks and allowing them to complete their final rise, brush them lightly with milk (or beaten egg for a shinier finish).
Sprinkle white sesame seeds evenly over the tops. Gently press them into the dough with your fingertips so they stick during baking.
Bake as directed.

You can also try other classic Italian toppings such as:

Black sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
Coarse sea salt
Dried rosemary
Fennel seeds
Grated Parmesan (sprinkled on just before baking)

Many Italian bakeries sell both plain grissini and sesame-coated grissini, so you can even make half the batch plain and half with sesame seeds for a nice variety.

Best Ways to Serve Homemade Grissini

What to do with Italian Breadsticks:

Freshly baked grissini are wonderfully versatile and can be enjoyed throughout the day. Here are some of the best ways to serve them at home:

Serve them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a simple Italian-style appetizer.
Add them to a cheese board with aged cheeses, cured meats, olives, grapes, and roasted nuts.
Enjoy them alongside a bowl of tomato soup, minestrone, or creamy pumpkin soup.
Wrap thin slices of prosciutto or salami around each breadstick for an easy party snack.
Pair them with dips such as hummus, pesto, olive tapenade, or whipped feta.
Place a basket of grissini on the dinner table instead of sliced bread.
Enjoy them with a glass of wine as part of a relaxed evening snack.
Pack a few in a lunchbox as a crunchy accompaniment to salads or sandwiches.
Crush leftover breadsticks over salads for extra crunch.
Store them in an airtight container for several days, making them a handy snack whenever you feel like something crisp and savoury.

Homemade grissini are at their best on the day they are baked, but they keep well and remain delicious with almost any Mediterranean-inspired meal.

Homemade grissini have a way of turning simple ingredients into something that feels special on any table. From a warm kitchen tray to a basket shared with friends, they carry that crisp, golden simplicity that makes Italian baking so timeless. A light sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a gentle crunch and a toasted aroma that lifts every bite. Once cooled, they store well in an airtight jar and stay ready for quick snacking, grazing boards, or a quiet moment with coffee or wine.

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