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Home » recipe

Crunchy breadsticks with sesame seeds on top (AKA Bosomat)

Published: Jan 21, 2017 · Modified: Feb 16, 2023 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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Crunchy, dry breadsticks are great for breakfasts or quick snacks. These Mediterranean breadsticks can be seasoned with all kinds of things for a new grissini each time.
Total time 1 hour 20 minutes
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Bo'somat, is an easy to make Egyptian style breadsticks. Crispy, crunchy and totally addictive.

breadsticks lined on a wooden table


These crunchy Egyptian breadsticks are perfect for snacking, as a side with your soup or have them traditionally with white cheese and a cup of mint tea.
Bo'somat sticks are perfect to use as a dipper. In Egypt, Bo'somat is sold in every street. You can find them in stores and in all pastry shops. Usually made with all purpose flour, but recently you can find healthier choices made with whole wheat flour.
Traditionally, bo'somat is sprinkled with sesame seeds, but you can make them plain, sprinkle some nigella seeds or just some sea salt.

If you are a beginner baker, this is a super easy recipe to start with. Very forgiving, authentic and so delicious. My batch was gone in a matter of two nights. In Egypt, many people dip them in all sorts of tea.
The most popular kinds of teas in Egypt are black tea with mint or with milk.This is also a fun project for kids, keeping them really on their toes waiting for their bo'somat to come out of the oven :).
Start by mixing the dry ingredients well.

A metal bowl showing a mixture

Add in the liquids and knead until you get a consistent dough.

A metal bowl showing a dough

Cut the dough into 4 equal parts and divide each part into 4 equal sections.

A wooden cutting board, with dough pieces sitting on top

Now the fun begins, roll into long, relatively thin logs. You can also make them bite sized if you wish but traditionally they are long sticks.

A wooden cutting board, with Breadstick being kneaded by a hand

Just for the sake of it, I made them all the same length by cutting the edges. Actually I like keeping them different as it makes you feel you are eating more of a homemade than a machine made thing.

A wooden cutting board, with Breadstick being cut into pieces

Brush with egg and sprinkle some sesame seeds or leave them plain.

A hand sprinkling sesame over breadsticks

Bake as directed in the instructions and let them cool , they will harden more. The ooh and aah effect is well worth the fiddly-ness of cutting and shaping the dough into breadsticks.
If you have kids around they will like so much making and eating these crunchy breadsticks. You can also increase the sugar more if you want it to be more of a sweet snack. These sticks are somehow like their Italian grissini, although the grissini is thinner and usually flavored with herbs, bo'somat is flavored with fennel and anise seeds.

grissini breadsticks on a wooden table with a brown bag on the back full of breadsticks

Make this recipe as a side with some tahini, baba ghanoush or hummus dip for your next pot-luck event or probably in the super bowl party.

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  • Incredibly delicious and satisfying sweet bread rolls for your morning coffee or afternoon snack. This is a recipe from my grandma's kitchen, no wonder it is a family favorite.

If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

breadsticks lined on a wooden table

Crispy breadsticks (Grissini)

Crunchy, dry breadsticks are great for breakfasts or quick snacks. These Mediterranean breadsticks can be seasoned with all kinds of things for a new grissini each time.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16 breadsticks
Calories: 118.2kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour.
  • 3 Tablespoon dry milk.
  • 2 Tablespoon sugar.
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds . optional
  • ½ teaspoon Anise seeds . optional
  • ¼ cup oil.
  • 1 Tablespoon dry yeast.
  • ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • 1 ¼ cup warm water more or less depends greatly on your flour.

Instructions

  • Sift flour in mixer bowl.
  • Combine flour, yeast, sugar, fennel seeds, anise seeds, dry milk, and salt. Mix well
  • Add oil and keep on mixing.
  • Then gradually add water, until you get a consistent dough. let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 350F.
  • Cut the dough into 4 equal parts then cut each part into 4 sections.
  • Roll each section into a stick of ½ inch diameter.
  • Line a baking sheet with Silpat or a parchment paper.
  • Arrange the sticks in the baking sheet and trim the ends so all the sticks would be the same size.
  • Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or Nigella seeds.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it reaches your desired color, then cover loosely with aluminum foil and up the temperature to 400F, continue baking until it has hardened and not soft to the touch, mine took another 13-15 minutes.
  • Allow breadsticks to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • They will keep fresh in an airtight container for 5 - 7 days.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
Serve by itself with a cup of tea with cream or serve with different cheese or dips like tahini, baba Ganoush, Muhammara or hummus.
Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

Nutrition

Calories: 118.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.8g | Protein: 2.8g | Fat: 3.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 0.9mg | Sodium: 40.4mg | Potassium: 59.5mg | Sugar: 1.9g
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About Amira

I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

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Comments

  1. Christiane Balouny

    August 10, 2023 at 4:32 pm

    Hi Amira
    It is so nice to find other people who enjoy your taste buds and come from the same country too. I wonder if you ever tried the recipe of “eshtangle” we used To eat it at the open air cinemas in The summers. The guy would Pass with a tray and say “ Simit Gebna, chips, abyd we asmar “.
    Thank you
    Christiane

    Reply
    • Amira

      August 21, 2023 at 10:22 am

      Hello Christiane, nice meeting you too. Is it spelle إيشتانجل in Arabic? Can you write me the Arabic name? Thanks

      Reply
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I send warm greetings from sunny Colorado. This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean.
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