|
Home | Italy Revisited | Bookshelf | Plays | About Mary Melfi | Contact Us |
|
Ingredients Taralli Baresi, flavored with fennel seeds or black pepper[makes about 32 taralli]
Directions To proof the yeast:
Notes "Taralli Baresi" have become North America's most popular style of taralli. In fact, most non-Italians assume that "taralli Baresi" made with wine and flavored with fennel or black pepper are the "authentic" taralli and everything else is an imitation. Of course, this is an error. Molise's egg-based taralli and Campania's almond-based taralli are just as authentic as Pulgia's wine-based taralli but it's hard to convince the convinced. "Taralli Baresi" are popular in North America not only because they are tasty and crunchy (Have a potato chip flavor) but also because a number of large companies have marketed them. They are easily available in Italian grocery shops, big box stores and, of course, on the internet. "Taralli Baresi" are often described as "Italian pretzels" because they have a crunchy texture and do look a lot like them (In fact, in some areas of Puglia, taralli are also shaped to look like "8s" as are pretzels -- see recipe for "Tarallucci di Vino"). However, "Taralli Baresi" generally come in two major shapes -- round or loops. North Americans of Italian origin will argue for hours which of the two shapes is more traditional then the other, but it seems to be that both shapes are equally traditional. In some areas round shaped taralli were made for special occasions, while looped-shaped taralli were more for everyday use (Well, prior to World War II few made taralli for everyday use, they would have been far too expensive to do). So, round-shaped taralli might have been made for Easter (in some areas) and looped-shaped ones might have been made for Sunday vistors. In Molise, taralli dolci, sweet taralli, were generally made in a round shape and those without sugar were made in a loop. Obviously, anything made with sugar, was reserved for very special occasions as sugar cost a fortune back in the 1930s. Generally speaking, the taralli from Puglia are thicker than those from other regions in Southern Italy (though in some areas of Puglia the taralli are as thin as anywhere else....). Most experts insist that a taralli is only a taralli if it's baked twice -- first in boiling water and then in the oven. However, there are quite a few "traditional" taralli recipes from Southern Italy that do not require the pre-boiling of the taralli. Italians are by nature quite versatile -- and so are their recipes. Nonetheless, some companies are presently marketing the "Taralli Baresi" in the braided form and suggesting this is the traditional form when in fact, it isn't. Taralli, in the braided form, were generally reserved for very special occasions in pre World War II Italy. At that time all baked goods were considered a treat and even regular-shaped taralli would be reserved for Sunday meals or for guests, especially in the countryside. Taralli were (and still are) served with wine. Many like to dunk the taralli in wine. The salt in the taralli is supposed to enhance the flavor of the wine, and work up an appetite as well. Nowadays, North Americans of Italian origin generally consider store-bought taralli as snack food. They are eaten any old time. In the 1950s home-made taralli were were generally reserved for Sunday visitors. They were served alongside sweets. Even though they were considered a more "manly" food than cookies and pastries, women savored them as much as the men. They were served with wine or coffee. At that time new immigrants made their taralli at home using centuries-old regional recipes. Up to the mid 1980s they continued to do so, but at this time the recipes started to change, reflecting the cosmopolitan flavor of the North American cities they settled in. Those from Molise became friends with those from Puglia, recipes were exchanged and soon what experts call "fusion" took place. A bit of this and a bit that were added to the original recipes, and by and by the original recipes got lost. Well -- not in all households, but in some households this did occur. In the 1990s big companies started to market taralli and suddenly Italians decided making them at home was "too much trouble." Happily, with the advent of Kitchen Aid style of equipment (Thank God for the dough hook!) making taralli is no longer that hard to do. Also, recipes that avoid a number of steps -- including the boiling of taralli and the use of yeast -- have surfaced. And so more and more individuals are into making their own taralli. This is really a good thing as store-bought taralli are not half as good as the ones baked at home. In fact, some of the ones presently on the market are actually quite awful. If done well, home-made taralli are edible works of art. Of course, doing them well takes patience and practice.... Photo: Mary Melfi. |