Usually Grissini are long, dry breadsticks. The idea of making them out of pastry instead, comes from Gusto, an Austrian cooking journal. The Gusto version lays thin slices of garlic on flat strips of pastry. The version in the photo spices the pastry and twists the strips. Your version might be some other combination of herbs or spices–shaped or maybe not. Whether you make Gusto‘s Grissini, the Creole-spiced ones shown here, or your own invention, they all set their improving mark on the original.
Grissini (about 20 sticks)
Ingredients:
- Puff pastry (The Grissini in the photo were made from a 14-inch round. Rectanglar pieces of dough are fine, too.)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning, or any combination of herbs or spices
Equipment:
- A pastry board or large cutting board
- A pizza cutter for slicing the pastry into strips
- A baking sheet
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread the puff pastry out on the board. If you use rectangular pieces, place them side by side, overlapping a little, and roll them out into one piece. The rectangular pieces are generally thicker than the round ones. Roll them out a little thinner, as well.
2. Brush the pastry with the egg. Sprinkle the spices or herbs on it with a liberal hand: 
3. With the pizza cutter, slice the dough into 1-inch strips: 
4. Place a strip horizontally before you. Pick up the left end and begin rolling it into a tube, unspiced side out, until you reach about the mid-point of the strip:
5. When the tube is rolled from the left to about the midpoint, pick up the right end of the strip and begin rolling the tube in towards the midpoint. If the tubes become twisted inside out–here and there–it will not matter. They will be good anyway:
6. As you make the sticks, place them on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle some more herbs or spices on them and bake them for 12 – 15 minutes:
7. When they are done, the sticks look like this and the longer ones will still bend slightly while they are hot, but will not once they cool:
A Note: Grissini can be an hors d’oeuvre…
…and Grissini accompany Cream of Eggplant Soup ~ Brennan’s of Dallas in the Dinner Menu: A Welcome Dinner for an Out-of-Town Visitor who has Traveled Far:
© Elizabeth Laeuchli, the diplomatickitchen, 2011
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