Tarallini*

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 kilo flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder

* Sometimes called "Taralli Baresi" and/or "Tarallini Pugliese"

Place the ingredients in a "Kitchen Aid" electric mixer.

Knead for 10 minutes.

On a floured wooden board, shape the dough into a ball.

The dough can either "rest" for two or three hours, or the dough can be used right away.

Cut the dough into smaller portions.

Roll out the portions into logs (about 12" x 2").

Re-divide the logs into smaller portions (about 2" x 1").

Work the 12" logs into thin ropes (6" x 1/2" or 1/4" ).

Fold the ropes into half bows -- pinch the two ends together.

Place the taralli on store-bought wire racks (This way the taralli won't fall through as the holes are small enough).

Place the store-bought wire racks on top of the regular oven racks.

Bake at 350 degree F for about 20 to 30 minutes or until they are a deep golden color (Don't let them brown or they'll taste burnt).

Remove and cool.

This recipe is fast-becoming the most popular taralli recipe in North America. It is one of the easiest taralli recipes to follow. Unlike Molise's traditional taralli, these do not need to be boiled prior to baking. Also, because they're about half the size of Molise's traditional taralli, the taralli are easier to shape. This recipe originated in the Puglia region, but it is slowly becoming the standard taralli recipe most North American Italian women use. In Puglia the taralli are generally round-shaped; in Molise, the taralli generally come in half-bow shapes. Nowadays, the two shapes are becoming fused. Sometimes these bite-sized taralli are sold in Montreal Italian shops as "tarallini" other times they are sold as "taralli Baresi." The taralli shown in the photo were made by the contributor; the photo was taken by Mary Melfi.

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