When traveling on our walking tour through Puglia, the “heel of the boot” of Italy, food is everywhere. Beneath majestic olive trees, there are fields of red earth planted with vegetables, and the nightair smells like celery. Long expanses of wheat fields produce the local flour used in excellent crusty bread, and then there are the raucous fish markets, teeming with wriggling sea creatures. And we haven’t begun to get to the exquisitely creamy burrata cheese, the oh-so-sweet tomatoes, or the heady Primitivo wine, thus named because it describes your ability to make a sentence after a few glasses.
On one occasion, while traveling through Puglia with friends, we stopped in a bar inMartina Franca to have an aperitivo, and the waiter asked if we wanted stuzzichini – appetizer snacks – with our drinks. When we said yes, out came bowls of soft bocconcini of mozzarella, plump green olives, oven-baked black olivesflecked withhot pepper, bits of salami, tiny one-bite pizzette, pickled lampascioni, sun-dried tomatoes, and crunchy taralli, spiced with fennel seeds and black pepper.
In other words, a meal for most people. When we commented to the waiter about how this couldsuffice asdinner, he laughed and said, “Only if you aren’t pugliese.” And so, wanting to fit in with the locals, we headed off to dinner. We found more taralli in the breadbasket at dinner, and they became our addiction during the trip.
Munching ontaralli will just be one of the many things we’ll be tasting on our Puglia Walk , but since that is months away, I decided to make a batch at home. You’ll find my complete taralli recipe at the end of this post, but here are the basics:
Taralli are quite simple to make, with an unleavened dough of flour, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and white wine. You can leave the dough plain or spice it with fennel seeds or cracked black pepper.
Take walnut-sized pieces of dough and shape into thin ropes about 5 inches (10 cm) long, then bring 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 tarallion 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 at dinner.
Read more about where we’ll be going on our Puglia Walk,an easy walking tour with fabulous food!
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Alberobello, the Trullo Town in Puglia
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Wild Asparagus Walk in Sicily
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 tspfennel 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.
FAQs
Taralli are toroidal Italian snack foods, common in the southern half of the Italian Peninsula. A wheat-based cracker similar in texture to a grissini breadstick, taralli can be sweet or savory. Sweet taralli are sometimes glazed with sugar.
Where in Italy was the first taralli made? ›
Taralli are small, unleavened bread rings that originate in Puglia, a region in the south of Italy that makes up the heel of the geographical boot that makes up the Italian peninsula.
What is another name for taralli? ›
Taralli—or Tarallo as a singular– are also known as Marsala wine cookies, and are a well-loved snack all across Italy. Don't confuse Taralli for just any type of dough-based snack. Its distinct appearance and mouthfeel make it unique compared to its cookie compatriots.
How do you eat taralli pugliesi? ›
A traditional Italian way to enjoy taralli is with a glass of wine (or grape juice). Dip the cracker into your glass and allow it to soak up some of the liquid. Then, enjoy the way that the texture and flavor transform. Classic taralli are the perfect choice for pairing with your favorite grape.
What does taralli mean in Italian? ›
A cracker similar in texture to a breadstick, a pretzel, or a sushka, taralli can be sweet or savory.
What is taralli made of? ›
Taralli are quite simple to make, with an unleavened dough of flour, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and white wine. You can leave the dough plain or spice it with fennel seeds or cracked black pepper.
How do Italians eat taralli? ›
Aperitivo or antipasto
The traditional way to serve taralli is to use them as an appetizer or aperitif accompaniment. In both cases, taralli are accompanied by cheese and cold cuts. Prepare a cutting board with Italian cold cuts and cheeses of your choice and serve them with a nice bowl of crispy taralli.
What is the oldest dish in Italy? ›
Testaroli is an ancient pasta that originated from the Etruscan civilization, a civilization of ancient Italy. The book Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking states that testaroli is "a direct descendant of the porridges of the Neolithic age that were poured over hot stones to cook".
Why do you boil taralli before baking? ›
Either way, the boiling then baking method–a technique that gives rise to taralli's signature crumbly texture–clearly worked as they're still being produced today…600-1,200 years later.
Who invented taralli? ›
They were invented during the late 8th Century by impoverished workers in Puglia who, starving, decided to make something edible out of left-over scraps of dough to sustain them through periods of famine, but through the years they have grown in popularity to become one of the most common snacks in the country thanks ...
They are rich, salty and crumbly, like the best pie crust. And they arrive with a gust of heat, studded with more cracked black pepper than would seem possible, or sensible. “Our taralli are the perfect thing to eat with an aperitivo,” said Shelley Lindgren, the restaurant's wine director and co-owner.
What is the afternoon snack called in Italy? ›
Even though Italy's afternoon snack time, known as merenda, is meant for children - it's good for adults too. In my family, merenda was practiced almost daily when we were young.
Are taralli good for you? ›
Taralli, for instance, can offer certain nutritional benefits. It contains olive oil, which is a good source of monounsaturated fats known for their heart-healthy properties.
Is it taralli or tarallini? ›
Taralli (or tarallini) are one of the most iconic and widely consumed foods of Puglia. It is believed they were created around the 6th - 8th century and were given as gifts to the Gods.
What do you eat with taralli crackers? ›
In Italy they are often served with a glass of wine, the custom being to dip the taralli in the wine and nibble them, ala pretzels or bar nuts in the United States. They also appear on appetizer platters as a crunchy counterpoint to cheeses and fatty cured meats.
What is tarallucci? ›
Tarallucci are an irresistible southern Italian snack that is so easy to make at home, and a fun family affair when working together in the kitchen. Everyone can help and the result is a delicious, light, crunchy cracker simply made with flour, olive oil, white wine, and spices or herbs of personal choosing.
What is the history of taralli? ›
They were invented during the late 8th Century by impoverished workers in Puglia who, starving, decided to make something edible out of left-over scraps of dough to sustain them through periods of famine, but through the years they have grown in popularity to become one of the most common snacks in the country thanks ...
What are appetizers called in Italy? ›
In English, we call these appetizers. For the French, they are the hors d'oeuvre. They are called antipasti in Italian, where they can be served hot or cold, cooked or raw.
