Grissini all'anice

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I don't often make bread sticks...or grissini....or gressins, but I've been asked to make these for a friend who is having a lunch party, and this is a very old formula that has always intrigued me. 

FORMULA 

267 gms tepid water

448 gms strong white bread flour

5 gms crushed sea salt

25 gms granulated sugar

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1 tablespoon cognac or reasonable brandy

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

9 gms aniseed

2 heaped teaspoons of instant active yeast

For dusting

light brown cane sugar

(The combination of aniseed and brandy is well known in both Spain and Italy: sol y sombra, and Anis del Mono are examples where the herb with the spirit are combined)

METHOD

1. Add everything except the brown cane sugar into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. 

2. Knead to a soft and silky dough. 

3. Place in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in volume. 

4. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle, 40 cm x 15 cm. Cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes. 

5. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C and prepare two baking sheets

6. Cut the dough into 15 cm strips. You should be able to make between 20 - 24 sticks. 

7. Stretch the pieces to about 15 cm and place the strips on the baking sheets, side by side but not touching. 

8. Cover and leave for about 15 minutes until they show signs of being a little puffed-up. 

9. Spritz the dough with water and sprinkle with the brown cane sugar or salt...or both, if you like.

10. Bake for 10 minutes. Then spritz again and continue baking for a further 5 minutes until the grissini are golden brown but not burnt. 

11. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight tin. 

Happy baking.