Herzhafte Knusperstangen (savoury crispy breadsticks)
Thin, crunchy breadsticks rolled by hand into long, even ropes rather than cut with a knife, which is what keeps them from tapering unevenly and baking to different levels of crispness along their length. Rolling them thin enough that they bake through completely crisp, with no soft centre, is the one detail that separates a genuine knusperstange from a soft, chewy breadstick.
Prep25 min
Cook20 min
Rest60 min
Servings4
Christoph's crispy breadsticks, rolled thin by hand so they bake through completely crisp with no soft centre.
Ingredients
Units
Temperature
Servings
Dough
- 300 g flour rounded
- 5 g instant yeast rounded
- 180 ml lukewarm water rounded
- 6 g fine salt rounded
- 30 ml olive oil rounded
- 10 g sesame seeds (optional) rounded
- 5 g coarse salt, for sprinkling (optional) rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Combine the flour, yeast, water, salt and olive oil into a rough dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan).
- Divide the dough into 20 small pieces. Roll each by hand into a thin, even rope, about 25 to 30 cm long and no thicker than a pencil.
- Arrange on baking sheets, spaced apart. Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds and coarse salt, if using.
- Let rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until fully firm and crisp all the way through, with no soft give in the centre.
Notes
- Roll each piece by hand into an even rope, not cut with a knife. Hand-rolling keeps the thickness consistent along the whole length; a cut and roughly stretched piece tapers unevenly and bakes to different levels of crispness from end to end.
- Roll them thin. The whole point of a knusperstange is that it bakes through completely crisp; anything thicker than a pencil risks a soft, chewy centre once cooled, which defeats the purpose.
- Check for a soft centre before pulling them from the oven. If a stick still has any give when you press it, it needs more time; they firm up further slightly as they cool, but not enough to fix an underbaked centre.
- They keep for a week in an airtight container, staying crisp as long as they’re kept dry.
Ingredient substitutions
- Sesame seeds can be poppy seeds, caraway, or a mix of dried herbs.
- A little finely grated cheese worked into the dough gives a savoury, cheesy version.
- Serve alongside dips, cheese boards, or soups as a crunchy accompaniment.
From Christoph Mayer