Yes, yeast, AGAIN. You know we’ve been lobbying hard for making yeast great again and for you to stop being such scaredy cats about using it; we have NO IDEA if the message is hitting home but we can only live in hope. If you’re a fan of the cheese straw, these grissini are even better, we think. They’re not as rich and greasy, but are no less cheesy. And, as a bonus, that cheesy tang is supported by plenty of black pepper and the mellow nuttiness of walnuts.

As the name suggests, grissini are Italian and originated in Piemonte in the country’s north. Traditionally they were made plain but flavoured ones have become popular over time; they’re ideal for nibbling with drinks. Instead of the walnuts, you could flavour them with a few dried chilli flakes, or dried or chopped fresh hard herbs (thyme or rosemary would be perfect). Or, you could roll them (again, without the nuts), in sesame seeds before baking. Because of the cheese, you should really eat these within a few days; plain ones last for much longer. We like ours with some prosciutto alongside but they’re flavoursome enough to stand on their own; they’ll go great with whatever red wine you like to drink. Or, whatever you like to drink!

MAKES ABOUT 28

large pinch caster sugar

1½ tsp instant dried yeast

4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

225g (1½ cups) wholemeal spelt or plain flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

60g (½ cup) finely chopped walnuts

150g (1½ cups) finely grated parmesan

prosciutto, to serve (optional)

Combine the sugar and 150ml warm water in a large bowl, then sprinkle over the yeast. Stand in a draught-free place for 7-8 minutes or until foamy. Stir in the olive oil, then add the flour, salt, pepper, walnuts and parmesan, then stir with a wooden spoon until a coarse dough forms. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, then knead for about 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stand in a draught-free place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. Knock the dough down to deflate it. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 34 x 22cm – it won’t roll precisely into a rectangle and if it starts shrinking back, let it rest for 5 minutes or so, then roll again. 

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the dough into 26 strips widthways. Using your hands, roll each strip into a thin stick about 26cm long; some will be longer than others depending on how evenly rolled into a rectangle your dough was; no worries! Divide the grissini among the lined trays, then bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove to wire racks to cool. Grissini will keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. If grissini soften slightly, return them to a 180˚C oven for 5-6 minutes to re-crisp.

Par-tay on…