Grissini

Yield: about 20

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/4 cups warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Semolina flour for dusting
1/2 cup sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Combine the yeast, honey, and warm water in a mixer bowl. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil. Using the paddle attachment, mix in the flour and the salt until combined. Using the dough hook, knead the mixture on low speed for three minutes.

Lightly flour the work surface and using your hands, pat the dough out to a 14 x 4-inch rectangle. Brush the top lightly with olive oil. Cover it with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Dust the surface of the dough with semolina flour before cutting and stretching*. Cut the rectangle crosswise into four equal portions and then cut each portion into five 4-inch lengths, about the width of a stubby finger. Stretch each piece to the width of a baking sheet and place the pieces a few inches apart on lightly oiled baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Cool on racks.

*Variations: Instead of the semolina flour, you can sprinkle the dough with sesame seeds for Grissini Siciliani or poppy seeds for Grissini al Papavero before cutting and shaping.