Ingredients
4 cups flour *
3/4 cup blanched ground almonds
3/4 cup melted lard (e.g. Tenderflake)*
1 cup tepid water
1 packet traditional dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons salt
1 pepperoncino, a dried hot red pepper, finely crushed and its seeds removed*
*If one cannot get a pepperoncino (They're hard to find in regular grocery shops, and they're expensive as well) one can substitute 1 tablespoon of regular hot chillies -- the resulting flavor will not be the exactly the same, but it will be similar
* Measurement is approximate
Directions
Activate the yeast according to packet instructions.
Mix the ingredients and work into a smooth dough. Add more flour if the dough is too soft, or more water if the dough is too hard. Knead for about 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a container. Cover the container with a towel. Let the dough rest for six to 8 hours (The dough should rise and increase in volume -- if it doesn't wait another hour or two, if the dough hasn't risen after 10 hours or so, the yeast probably has not worked).
Cut small portions of the rested dough and roll out each portion into a small rope about 8 inches long, 1 inch thick.
Form a circle with the rope, and then pinch the ends together.
Place the taralli on a cookie sheet that has been greased.
Bake in a 325 F degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the taralli are a golden brown. *
* Please note that everyone has a favorite way of baking taralli. Some place them directly on the oven racks, others use wire racks, and still others use greased cookie sheets or alternatively, cookie sheets lined with silicon baking mats. The type of bake ware used will determine the amount of time needed for the taralli to cook. Some cooks will turn on the broiler towards the end of the cooking time to make sure the tops of the taralli are well-cooked. Other cooks will flip the taralli over. Basically, regardless of the bake ware used, the cook will have to keep a close eye on the taralli, as they (in particular, the small-sized ones), burn easily. Trial and error is an important part in cooking any recipe and for taralli it's no different.
Notes
Prior to World War II taralli were always served with wine. The taralli supposedly enhanced the flavor of the wine, and increased the appetite. Taralli were generally made during the grape harvest and offered to male relatives and guests. When Italians immigrated to North America in the 1950s taralli were made on special occasions. By the late 1970s taralli became available in the shops and suddenly they were just another snack. Photo: Mary Melfi. |
