Parmesan Bread Sticks with Seeds

The crunchy breadsticks, called Grissini in Italian, are often served at the restaurant as an appetizer with a kind of dip - tsatsiki, kjopoolu, tirosalata or hummus.  You can also have them with some slices of prosciutto or bacon wrapped around them. I prepared them with grated parmesan cheese and sesame and poppy seeds and they turned out to be a great snack to nibble on. These parmesan breadsticks include butter, but you can not feel it while eating - if you prefer cheese breadsticks with more buttery and creamy taste, I would recommend you these ones. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3 cups (375g) bread flour
• 4 Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ¾ cup (180g) luke-warm water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (100g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

Put yeast in a bowl, add the warm water and the sugar and set aside for five minutes. Stir in the olive oil and salt. 
Melt butter over medium heat and set aside. 
Put flour into a large mixing bowl, add the proofed yeast mixture, grated Parmesan cheese, the sesame and poppy seeds (try to spread them evenly into the mixture) and the melted butter. Mix by hand for a minute or two until all ingredients are well incorporated and dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Knead dough for 2-3 minutes, shape in a ball and let dough rise in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

Take dough out of the bowl and set onto an unfloured surface (it contains oil, which prevents it from sticking to the working surface). Divide in three pieces and using a rolling pin roll each piece of cut dough to the width of your baking pan - about 25cm (10 in) wide.

Cut into thin, 0.8cm (1/3 inch) strips with a sharp knife or a pizza wheel.

In order to shape them, roll each breadstick between your hands and the working surface as if you were making a rope until each breadstick gets longer and with rounder edges. Shape any remaining dough as instructed.

Place each strips on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake on the medium rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove breadsticks from the heat and cool on a rack. Serve with some creamed butter, your favorite dip or prosciutto slices, wrapped around each bread stick. 
Recipe makes about 30 breadsticks.