Ingredients
For dough
3 1/2 cups flour
1 packet traditional dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup lard, melted
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
For decoration
about 1/4 cup natural almonds with skin
Directions
Mix yeast with warm water (wait for it to froth).
Mix flour, salt and pepper together.
Make a well in the flour and add the proofed yeast and lard.
Work into a malleable dough (add a touch more water if the dough is too dry).
Knead for about 8 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball.
Place the dough in a very large plastic bag and tie the bag with a twist, then put in a container and cover.
Keep in a warm draft-free room.
Allow the dough to double in volume (about 4 to 6 hours).
When the dough has doubled in volume, remove from the plastic bag, and place it on a floured wooden board. Shape into a long log.
Cut a slice of dough and using the palms of your hands make a thin taralli-style log about 8 inches long, 1/4 inch wide.
Make another log, and then braid the two logs together; shape into a circle, pinching the ends together.
Place the braided taralli on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (Place them far apart as they will increase in volume).
Decorate with natural almonds -- pushing the almonds deep into the dough (only the tip of the almonds should stick out as the almonds can easily burn if they are in the open).
Cover the taralli with a cloth in a warm room and allow the taralli to increase in volume.
Remove cloth.
Bake in preheated 350 F. degrees oven until golden -- about 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes
Braided taralli, either braided with two logs, or braided with three logs, are very hard to do and this recipe is no exception. Getting the right consistency of the dough is difficult enough, but then one has to braid the taralli, and after that, wait around for them to increase in volume. And as for the almonds, unless they're nicely hidden in the dough, they'll surely burn (Personally I prefer recipes that incorporate the almonds into the dough). Still, as this is a well-known traditional recipe from Campania, there must be home cooks who can do this style of taralli really well, otherwise the recipe won't have survived. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi. |
