Herzhafte Knusperstangen (savoury crispy breadsticks)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
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
Method
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.