Instructions: 1. If using dried yeast, leave it to dissolve in the warm water for about 10 minutes.

2. Put the fresh yeast, if using, flour, salt, olive oil and malt extract in a large mixing bowl.

3. Gradually add the yeast water or warm water, stirring it in with a fork or spoon until the mixture comes together in a fairly sticky dough.

4. Knead the dough until smooth, then break off walnut-sized pieces (each weighing 15-20g, 1/2-3/4 oz) and roll them quickly into fat sausage shapes, using a little flour.

5. Put the rolls, one at a time, on an unfloured surface and roll them out finely with the tips of your fingers until they are about 24cm (91/2 inches) long and 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. (It is important not to use any extra flour while doing this or they will slip rather than roll.)

6. Put them on lightly oiled baking sheets.

7. Alternatively, put the dough in a piping bag fitted with a plain 5 mm

(1/4 inch) nozzle and pipe them onto the oiled baking sheets.

8. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for at least 10 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200 C/400 F.

10. Bake the grissini in the oven for about 10 minutes or until they are golden, then take them out of the oven and turn them over.

11. Return them to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes or until hard and crisp.

NOTES : These bread-sticks are a speciality of Turin and make an ideal accompaniment to starters and salads, as well as being wonderful crunchy nibbles on their own. Try making them in different flavours, using plain or wholemeal flour and rolling them in sesame or poppy seeds before leaving them to rise.

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