Traditionally in Puglia, you dunk your Taralli into your wine – most likely a fine Primitivo from the region.
The recipe involves taking walnut-sized pieces of dough shaped into thin ropes about 5 inches (10 cm) long, then bringing the ends together to form a ring. It’s okay if they look like a teardrop.
Next, the rings are briefly cooked in a pot of boiling water until they float to the surface, then removed with a slotted spoon and left to cool and dry on a clean cloth.
Place the taralli on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until the taralli are golden brown. Cool on a rack and serve with an aperitivo – drink the rest of that white wine you used to make the dough – or fill a breadbasket and serve.
Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Yield: About 100 taralli
Serving Size: Unlimited!
Ingredients
4 cups (1 lb, 500 grams) flour
1 tsp (10 grams) salt
2/3 cup (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (200 ml) dry white wine
optional spices:
1-2 tsp fennel seeds or cracked black pepper
Cooking Directions
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Add the oil and wine, and mix with a fork until the dough forms into a rough mass.
Dump the dough onto a wooden board and knead it for about 5 minutes, until it is smooth.
If you want to add any optional spices, knead them into the dough (or divide the dough and add spice to ½ of the dough) – knead well to distribute the spice.
Cover the dough and let it rest, along with your arms, for 15-30 minutes.
Pinch walnut-sized pieces of dough, roll first between your hands, and then against the wooden cutting board, so that the dough forms a thin rope, about ½ inch (1 cm) in diameter and 4” long (10 cm).
Shape each rope into a ring, and seal the edges together by pressing lightly, then set aside the taralli rings on a wooden board and cover with a towel.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Put 6-10 of the taralli into the boiling water, and when they float to the surface – this will only take 30-60 seconds – remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a cloth to dry and cool.
Tip: Try not to plop one tarallo on top of another when dropping them into the pot, and if they stick to the bottom, give them a gentle nudge with the slotted spoon
Put the cooled taralli on baking sheets and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (200°C) for about 25 minutes, until golden.
Remove and cool on racks.
Store in a closed container to keep them crisp, and serve with an aperitivo – they are the a nice accompaniment for the rest of that dry white wine – or pile them into a breadbasket at dinner.
Taralli Puglese Recipe with Primitivo Wine
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