There it still lies. The last bit of pizza dough that you didn’t shape into a ball earlier. It would be a shame to throw it away, and another pizza would be too much. Exactly for this moment, there’s a solution that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes like more than just leftovers.
🥖 Make your own grissini from leftover pizza dough
Grissini are those thin, crispy breadsticks from Italy, served there with almost every antipasti platter. Normally, you’d make a separate dough for them, with yeast, rising time, and all the fuss. You don’t need that here. Your pizza dough already has everything good grissini need: the right structure, moisture, and flavor. You just need to roll it out thinly, cut it, and bake it.
The big advantage: no extra dough, no waiting time, no new recipe. What’s left over after making pizza is processed directly. If this is the remainder of your Original Neapolitan Dough: good sign, it’s great for this. And if you often have more dough left over than planned, it’s worth taking a look at my article How Much Dough for a Pizza? – then the amount will be better next time.
- Leftover pizza dough
- A little flour or semolina for the work surface
- Olive oil for brushing
- To taste: sesame seeds, grated Parmesan, flaky salt, or chili
How to make crispy grissini from pizza dough
First, preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) conventional heat and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven is heating up, you’ll have enough time for the dough.
Sprinkle some flour or semolina on your work surface. Take the pizza dough and roll it out with a rolling pin – for example, the Witt Pizza Dough Roller or the Gi.Metal Stainless Steel Rolling Pin are suitable. Roll it out as thinly as you can – much thinner than for a pizza base. The more even, the better – more on that shortly. The shape doesn’t matter, a rough rectangle works best.
Place the rolled-out dough on the prepared baking sheet. Now take a pizza cutter and cut narrow strips, about 1.5 to 2 centimeters wide. Gently pull the strips apart so there’s some space between them – this way they bake up crispy on all sides instead of sticking together.
Brush the strips with olive oil. The easiest way is with a pastry brush; in a pinch, your fingers will do. The oil ensures a golden-brown color and makes the surface nice and crispy. Now add your toppings: sesame seeds, grated Parmesan, flaky salt, or chili, according to your taste. If you prefer them plain, just use oil and a little salt.
Into the oven. After about 17 minutes, check them for the first time – the exact baking time depends on the thickness of your strips and your oven. They are done when they are golden brown and can be easily lifted off the baking sheet. Then remove and let them cool. They will become even crispier as they cool. And if any are left over: stored in an airtight container, they will still be nice and crispy the next day.
The dough is not rolled out evenly thin. The thin parts will become too dark, almost burnt. The thicker parts will remain chewy and soft instead of crispy. Take your time when rolling out the dough to really roll it evenly and as thinly as possible – thinner is always better here than for a pizza base. Look at the dough from the side, not just from above – this way you can better spot unevenness.
What goes on top
My standard combination is olive oil, flaky salt, and a little chili. Parmesan becomes slightly crispy during baking and gives the grissini a savory note that pairs well with a glass of wine. Sesame seeds make them nuttier. For the first time, try two or three variations on one baking sheet, then you’ll know what you like.
If you prefer them airy rather than crispy: Mini Ciabatta made from the same leftover dough also turn out really well – the crumb becomes nice and airy if you handle the dough gently.
No extra planning, that’s the point: the dough is there, the oven is still warm from baking the pizza, and in 20 minutes, crispy breadsticks are on the table. Which topping combination will you put on your grissini? Let the community know in the Facebook group PizzaLiebhaber Österreich – I’m always looking for new ideas for next time.
Grissini aus Pizzateig
Ingredients
Für die Grissini
- Übrig gebliebener Pizzateig
- Mehl oder Semola für die Arbeitsfläche
- Olivenöl zum Bestreichen
- Sesam, geriebener Parmesan, Salzflocken oder Chili nach Geschmack
Instructions
- Backrohr auf 220°C Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen, Blech mit Backpapier belegen.
- Pizzateig auf bemehlter Arbeitsfläche mit einem Nudelholz so dünn wie möglich ausrollen – deutlich dünner als für einen Pizzaboden.
- Mit einem Pizzaschneider in 1,5–2 cm breite Streifen schneiden und vorsichtig auseinanderziehen, damit Abstand zwischen den Streifen bleibt.
- Streifen mit Olivenöl bestreichen und nach Geschmack mit Sesam, Parmesan, Salzflocken oder Chili bestreuen.
- Ab etwa 17 Minuten goldbraun backen, bis sich die Grissini leicht vom Blech heben lassen. Auskühlen lassen – dabei werden sie noch knuspriger und bleiben auch am nächsten Tag noch schön knusprig.
