Ingredients
For the biscotti con sale dough
8 egg whites
4 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds (or more)
Flour "as much as is needed" (about 4 to 5 cups)
For boiling the biscotti con sale
A large pot of water
1 tablespoon salt to add to the boiling water
Directions
o In a bowl mix 4 cups of flour with the salt and fennel seeds.
o In another bowl beat the egg whites.
o Add the vegetable oil to the beaten egg whites and mix well.
o On a wooden board place 4 cups seasoned flour in a mound, and then make a well in it.
o Incorporate the liquids with the solids and work into a soft malleable dough. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. If it's too hard, add a touch more oil.
o Knead the dough for about 5 to 10 minutes.
o When the dough is soft and malleable (like bread dough), shape into a ball.
o Wrap the ball with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 4 hours to 6 hours.
o After the dough has rested, bring a large pot of water to boil. Also, preheat the oven to 500 F degrees.
o Take the dough and shape into a log. Cut a slice of the log -- about 2 inches by 1 inch.
o Lightly flour the sliced dough and roll it between the palm of your hands (or on a wooden board), stretching the dough out. Keep doing it until you have a thin long rope of about 12 to 14 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick.
o When you have the required length, find the center and then fold it so it makes a bow.
o Pinch the ends together.
o Repeat steps until all the dough has been processed.
o Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil (the kind one would use for spaghetti).
o Drop two or three taralli at a time in the boiling water and boil for about 3 minutes.
o Remove the taralli and place on a baking sheet lined with a linen or cotton kitchen napkin so the excess water will be soaked up (Do NOT place them on kitchen paper towels as they might stick to them).
o Once all the taralli are boiled, let them cool and air-dry for about 5 to 10 minutes.
o Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
o Place the boiled taralli directly on the upper middle rack and bake until they are golden (about 15 to 20 minutes).
o Cool before serving.
o Store the taralli in cellophane or in thin cardboard boxes. Like all home-made goods taralli are best served fresh.
Notes
Mrs. Rosina Melfi, a first-generation Italian-Canadian, notes that prior to World War II "biscotti con sale" were considered high-end taralli as the dough that was used to make them was well-kneaded while the dough used to make taralli was not. Back then taralli were always presented in a circular shape, while "biscotti con sale" were presented as half bows [For more information on this subject see "Biscotti con Sale, Version I"].... In any case, the recipe presented here is her own particular version for "biscotti con sale" and not the one her own mother did when she was growing up. She adapted the traditional "biscotti con sale" recipe which uses whole eggs rather than egg whites in order to make use of egg whites she has left over when she makes other recipes (e.g., Italian custard). She finds the combination of egg whites and white wine turn out a crunchier biscotti than one that follows the traditional recipe.... Photo: Mary Melfi. |
