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Greek Carrot & Parsley Breadsticks

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD

greek breadsticks

Breadsticks in Greece are consumed and made in a slightly different way than they are in Italy. Greeks call breadsticks kritisinia from the Italian word for breadsticks grissini. Now in Greece these types of breadsticks are not consumed as something before a meal, they are not really part of the traditional Greek cuisine. However, nowadays you find them everywhere: bakeries have a bunch in different flavors and supermarkets carry all sorts (whole grain, with sesame seeds, with nuts, with olives or other flavors). They differ from the Italian type as they are thicker, heartier and usually contain much more olive oil. Greeks eat them as a snack, just plain or maybe with some cheese.

Kritsinia can be dangerous in the sense that you think you are not eating anything when in fact you are loading up on calories if you eat a bunch, but 1 or 2 can be ok, depending on what is in them.

So here is a recipe that is pretty easy, it does not require a bread preparation, you just mix all the ingredients roll them into thin sticks and bake. The flavor of carrot and parsley provide a heartiness and the olive oil definitely fills you up. One or even half is enough. These are great for kids too, especially when you want to give them a snack that is not full of unknown vegetable fats or trans fats and preservatives or flavorings. These breadsticks contain real fresh carrots and parsley, none of that dried stuff.

These can be also made with whole wheat flour and a variety of flavors. And, they are also vegan.

Greek Carrot & Parsley Breadsticks

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups self-rising flour (or you can make your own by adding 1 -1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 cup flour-make double the amount and measure out 2 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup  white wine (or 1/2 cup water with1 teaspoon vinegar and a pinch of sugar)
  • 4 1/2 ounces shredded carrots
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

2. Mix the flour and salt.

3. Add olive oil and wine and mix using the dough hook for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the carrots and parsley and mix with a spoon or by hand.

5. Roll the dough in thin sticks on a floured surface.

6. Bake on pan lined with wax paper for 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Let them cool.

Photo by Elena Paravantes

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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7 Comments

  1. Hi Elena, I have been following this recipe for some years now. They are wonderful, the whole family loves them. Just wanted to say thank you and I really appreciate your blog!

    Reply

  2. Well they finally turned out but after a lot of extra work. First there is not enough mass in the recipe for a stand mixer. I also noted the 1/3 cup of wine as opposed to the 1/2 cup of water? I ended up kneading the dough by hand after adding the carrots and had to add more flour as well. I baked them for 15 minutes then turned them over and continued for 15 minutes more. Thankfully I do like the final result.

    Reply

  3. I wanted to say thank you for this article. I’m a 36 year old veteran who just finished his time in the Army now and so I’m having to actually cook for myself! Ahh! 🙂 This is definitely one of the recipies I’ve added to my list. I actually added a few shakes of onion powder and garlic powder to the mix though, but it all came out very nice.

    I have Greek heritage so I’m really trying to convert my pantry to as much Greek-like as possible if that makes sense! I’ve bookmarked your site here and will be using it for my future meal plans here on out.

    Thanks again,
    Cameron

    Reply

  4. Thanks for the recipe. I have been meaning to make some of these for ages, as they are quite expensive to buy. I did find that the dough went really wet when I added the carrots, so I had to add more flour at that stage. I would also add a bit more salt next time. I wondered why it is one third cup of wine or one half cup of water\vinegar\sugar? Shouldn’t the liquid amount be the same? Anyway they were great! Forgot to say I put chilli powder in them as well, adds a bit of a kick. Delicious. Pleased they are naturally vegan as well.

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  5. Thanks for this recipe….easy to follow and my 1st try turned so good. At last found a way to bake bread easy and simple

    Reply