Taralli
Taralli pugliesi: crunchy fennel and olive oil rings from Puglia
Taralli are the crunchy rings found on every table in Puglia: with a glass of wine before dinner, in bags on the beach, or dunked in coffee. They are made with olive oil and dry white wine, no yeast or butter, and boiled briefly before baking, which gives them their shiny skin and fine, crumbly bite. Fennel seed is the classic flavour; black pepper or chilli are common too. They keep for weeks in a tin. Chef's tip: lift them out of the water the moment they float; longer boiling makes them hard and glassy instead of crumbly.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour or Italian 00 flour, ⅓ oz salt and 2 tsp fennel seeds in a large bowl. Add ½ cup extra virgin olive oil and ¾ cup dry white wine and mix to a dough.
Step 2: Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, firm and slightly oily to the touch. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Pinch off 10 g pieces and roll each into a pencil-thin rope about 12 cm long. Cross the ends over and press to make a small ring. Lay them on a cloth.
30 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and line two baking trays.
Step 5: Bring a large pan of water to a gentle boil. Drop in 15–20 taralli at a time. As soon as they float (about 1 minute), lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a clean tea towel. Common mistake: crowding the pan; they stick together and cook unevenly.
10 minStep 6: Spread them on the trays and bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden all over and they sound hollow when tapped.
30 minStep 7: Turn off the oven and leave them inside with the door ajar for 15 minutes to dry out completely. Cool and store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does taralli take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
- What can I use instead of dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
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