Taralli

I have this newspaper cutting of a taralli recipe which I singled out one night to be on my to-do list.

Taralli is a kind of Italian snack or biscuit which can be sweet or savoury. There are many variations.

I googled for more info and recipes. Most recipes use yeast and white wine and the boiling method before baking. The recipe that I have does not use yeast but requires white wine and extra-virgin olive oil which I don't have either.

Then I came across a recipe which uses red wine (which I have) and baking powder.

Here are the two recipes which I tweaked to get my own.

From the newspaper cutting:

1 cup white wine

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

5 cups plain flour

2 tsp black pepper or chilli powder or chopped fennel seeds

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Whole almonds to decorate

1 beaten egg for glazing

From turosdolci.wordpress :

5 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup red wine

1 cup oil

egg glaze

My tweaked version:

5 cups plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin powder (didn't have any fennel)

1 cup red wine

1 cup olive oil

1/2 almond nips

egg glaze

How I Did It:

1. Sift all dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl.

2. Add oil, wine and almond and mix into a dough. Wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes.

The dough looks like meat due to the colour of red wine.

3. "Take golf ball-sized pieces of dough and roll between palms of hands to make finger-thick lengths. Form lengths into a loop by pinching the ends together."

4. Place loops on oiled tray. I lined the tray with foil and then oiled it. (makes washing easier)

Egg glaze the top.

The loops on a lined and greased with oil tray.


The egg-glazed loops

5. Bake in pre-heated oven 160 deg C for 40 minutes or when it becomes crispy.

6. Cool and store in air-tight containers.

The baked loops

The inside of a loop

I love the crunchiness and the not-so-sweet peppery taste. It is after all a healthy snack.

I will definitely make this again though it burns a little hole in the pocket because of the red wine. ;P

I will also adjust the size and make them thinner and smaller.

I will also try boiling the loops before baking to find out the difference in taste and texture.