 rissini or breadsticks first appeared in Turin and the surrounding area in Piedmont but they are now at home in countries everywhere. No one knows exactly when they appeared but it is certain that production began at least as long ago as the 17th century. When he was driving the Austrians out of Northern Italy, Napoleon reportedly encountered these thin rods of bread, which he dubbed "les petits bātons de Turin," and enjoyed consuming them. The versions made today in virtually every part of Italy and shipped to numerous foreign markets are pencil-thin. But the bakers of Turin and vicinity still turn out the original model, shaping it by hand, so that it is somewhat twisted and irregular. It is thicker and longer than the modern variant and it is, recognizably, a real bread. The Piedmontese partly wrap their breadsticks in a napkin and plunk them down in the middle of the table where everyone can help himself or herself. While the modern version lacks the flavor and texture of the original, it does offer a certain degree of flexibility. For example, many hosts smear one end of each breadstick with butter and wrap a paper-thin slice of prosciutto around it. It thereby becomes a cocktail snack that is handy and also neat, since the hands do not come into contact with the ham.
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