Mary's Tips on Making Taralli *

Part 1 (General Comments)

1. If one does not like baking with yeast, chose a taralli recipe that uses baking powder, and so avoid the unnecessary aggravation.

2. For beginners it's best not to try to make too many taralli at one sitting as the work involved will be quite overwhelming.

Part 11 (Regarding working yeast)

3. Assuming the taralli recipe used calls for a cup of water or so, proof the yeast in it, rather than using only 1/4 cup of water as suggested on the yeast package direction. Using an entire cup of warm water and adding a touch of sugar to it, will make it easier to foam up. Also, the smell of the proofed yeast will be diminished (Downside of baking with yeast is the smell -- at least it is for me!).

4. Never try to proof the yeast in boiling water, it will simply kill the yeast! The water has to be warm, not hot.

5. Cover the container where the yeast is being proofed with towel, and keep the water warm. Do not keep the container on a heated stove burner (even at low temperature), as too much heat will kill the yeast.

6. If using wine, one can also warm it up -- just a touch, so that the dough will be nice and warm when it is being kneaded. This is not necessary, but it might help to make a nice malleable dough.

7. If using yeast, use the traditional type so one can make the dough the night before. O.K., this is my personal preference, but if one has never made taralli before one might not realize how much work is involved. As one who knows how much work is involved, I advice all those who don't know it, to divide the work up, so the making of taralli becomes less of a chore. Also, by preparing the dough the night before one avoids the temptation of forever looking to see if the dough is "rising."

8. Regardless of what type of yeast one uses, one should avoid checking to see if the dough has risen, as this will only hamper its rise.

9. If one is living in Canada or some other cold country, one has to cover up the dough real well, meaning a towel is not enough. Real blankets are required -- sometimes, two or three, depending on how thick they are and how cold the room is.

Part III (Kneading taralli dough)

10. Many traditional recipes for taralli (including on this website) simply say -- "As much flour as is needed." This drives most people crazy (Me too!). Still, the fact is that many older Italian women, first generation immigrants, who came to North America in the 1950s, used the touchy-feelie style of cooking, though not necessarily by choice. In pre-World War II Italy most cooks living in the countryside did not have measuring utensils, so they made do. Getting first generation immigrants to give you the exact measurements is next to impossible as they'll tell you -- well, it all depends. The measurements will be affected by temperature, humidity, tastes etc. So one simply has to say to oneself -- I can do this, without the exact measurements. A little confidence goes a long way. That said, anyone who makes taralli and gets them right, should immediately write down the exact measurements. If one can avoid using the term "as much as needed" -- go for it.

11. This is a rough measurement -- but if one is making taralli one can expect to use 2 cups of liquids (water, oil or lard, and wine) to every 5 cups of flour.

12. If one does not have an electrical appliance such as a Kitchen Aid that can knead dough, making taralli is a real challenge. One should look up a number of internet sites on how to make a good taralli dough. Many sites give step by step demonstrations, with pictures. However, if one is using an electrical dough kneader, then it is quite easy, and one doesn't have to follow all the steps religiously. One can do this or that and manage to come up with a pretty good dough. Unfortunately, one has to have a good quality machine because if one doesn't, the machine can break down from the stress of kneading (Two of mine broke!). Personally I found that one can't use the Kitchen Aid right away. One has to first make the dough, and then once it is put together (takes two or three minutes) then one puts the dough in the bowl and starts kneading. Requires at least 10 minutes of kneading by the machine to produce a nice malleable dough -- but that's for "plain" taralli or those that include no sugar (may be seasoned with fennel or anise etc.).

13. Sweet taralli don't need much kneading -- in fact one can easily work the dough by hand. What helps the dough become malleable is to let it rest. Putting it aside and keeping it at room temperature works wonders. Even a badly put together dough can end up being quite easy to work with, once it has rest. Prior to World War II, in Italy (well, at least in Molise) many cooks let the dough rest overnight. Nowadays, because one is worried the dough might spoil (often eggs are used in the making of sweet taralli) fewer and fewer people are letting the dough rest for six to 8 hours, but in "the old days" they did do so.

14. As previously noted, if one is using an electric kneader, one doesn't have to follow the traditional method -- i.e., mixing in the liquids with the solids. One can do it the other way round. One can first mix the liquids and then incorporate the flour.

15. Divide the dough into two portions, so that one when works with it later, one can keep one in the container. The fresher the dough is, the easier it is to work with.

16. Always oil the containers that one places the dough to rise in. One can even oil the underside of the lid. NEVER flour the containers as this will result in a big mess. The dough will get stuck and get grainy.


Part IV (Shaping the taralli)

17. Remove the rested dough (It should have doubled in size and feel light and puffy) from one of the containers. And keep the other where it is -- under the covers so to keep it fresh.

18. Some cooks shape the dough into a log and then slice it with a knife to get the portions they need, others simply break it off with their hands. One can do one or the other. In either case, after one cuts off a slice of the dough, place the remaining dough back in the container, or place it in a dish and cover it with a kitchen towel. Yeast dough, like any other dough, quickly dries out when exposed to the air, so it's best to keep it tucked away in the dark, in a nice warm (room temperature) place.

19. Some cooks only use their finger and palms to shape the taralli into a rope (Doing it above the wooden board, up in the air). Other cooks shape the taralli into a rope on the wooden board itself. There is no right way -- do whatever works. Some cooks find that using a wooden board that has been lightly floured makes it easier, some others like myself find that the flour hampers the process. Do whatever works in your work environment (All depends on the temperature, the humidity etc. -- the old refrain....).

20. Generally speaking, most cooks make one long rope, and then re-divide the rope and make smaller ones. However, the more one works the dough, the harder it is to get it shaped. Professionals know how to do it right, and so they can get more taralli made out of less dough, but if one is just starting out, be happy with whatever one gets -- the taralli might not be as nearly as good as the professional cooks' but they might still be better than the ones one buys in a store (Some are quite awful!). Personally, I find out it is easier to shape the dough into a log, cut out a piece or two (from 1 to 2 square inches depending on the style of taralli) and then replace what is not being used back in its container, or place it in a dish and cover the dough with a linen towel. As noted earlier, the less the dough is exposed to the air, the more malleable it is.

21. Ring-shaped taralli are the easiest to make. Loops are not that difficult, but they require a bit more patience. Pretzel-shaped taralli are the hardest to do -- the more one has to pinch the dough, the less chance one will get the shape right. Also, the more pinches in the dough, the less evenly-cooked the taralli might end up being. "Braided taralli" look complicated, but in fact they are very easy to do.

Part V (Reference cooking the taralli in boiling water)

22. Never place too many taralli in a pot of boiling water. They need space. And never let them over-cook. As soon as they rise take them out or they will get soggy.

23. Never place the boiled taralli on kitchen paper towels to get the excess water out. The paper will get stuck to the taralli, and you'll have to throw them out. I found it is best to remove them from the boiling water and place them on baking sheets. And then transfer them on another baking sheet that is lined with a cloth towel. One does want to remove all the water from the taralli before they are baked, but paper towels don't work as they get stuck to the taralli.

24. If you don't have the time or patience of pre-cooking the taralli in boiling water, there are dozens of recipes don't call for it. In fact, fewer and fewer modern-day cooks are actually doing it (They might not admit it in public). Pre-cooking might improve the taste of the taralli, or it might not. It all depends on what kind of dough one manages to come up with. Some doughs are so soft and malleable, that they can go straight to the oven, and no one will know whether or not the taralli were pre-cooked. Ideally, though if a recipe says to do it, one should.

Part VI (Baking the taralli)

25. Some cooks brush the tops of the taralli with oil, others do not. Brushing them with oil can make for a nicer looking taralli I found -- well, at least it does for thicker fennel or anise-flavored taralli, the thinner ones
don't need any oiling.

26. Cheap aluminum baking sheets work better than any other type of cookware on the market (in my opinion). As the aluminum baking sheets don't conduct heat very well, the bottom side of the taralli don't cook faster than the top which is generally the case with other types of cookware. Some cooks place the taralli directly on the oven racks -- but if one does this, one has to make sure the oven racks are real clean, otherwise, the flavor might be affected. Personally I prefer using aluminum baking sheets lined with silicon baking mats. I even oil the silicon baking mat just a little, not because it would stick otherwise (It won't), but simply because the oil makes the taralli a bit crunchier.

27. For baking use the upper part of the oven, rather than the lower part as the bottom tends to cook faster than the top.

28. Some cooks bake their taralli at 325 degrees F -- swearing slow cooking is the best way to go. Some use 350 degrees F, others 375. One can start at 350 and then after half an hour turn it down to 325. The temperature setting depends a lot on one's own stove. Believe it or not, they're not all the same. 350 degrees F for one stove, is not 350 in another. Stoves are like dress sizes -- they're not standardized -- well they are, and they aren't. In any case one has to preheat the oven as the broiler automatically comes on in the first 15 minutes, and one doesn't want the broiler on. One wants an even temperature in the oven.

29. The longer one cooks the taralli the drier they will get. Some people love their taralli dry and crispy, others do not. It's all a question of taste. In any case, one has to keep a close eye on the taralli as they could burn easily. If the bottom cooks faster than the top (often happens) one can flip them over towards the end of the cooking cycle -- about 10 minutes. One shouldn't flip them over too early in the cycle as then the shape of the taralli might be effected. Also, bite-sized taralli cook quite quickly so one really has to keep checking to see if they are ready or not, or one might be in for a bad surprise.

30. Some cooks reduce the amount of baking time by about five to ten minutes, but then keep the taralli in the oven to dry out for hours (even over-night!). So basically, the taralli end up being cooked at a very low temperature (It's still hot in an oven that's turned off!) towards the end of the cooking cycle.

31. As noted previously, those who like their taralli dry and crispy (like pretzels) should aim for a dark brownish-colored taralli, and those who like their taralli to have more of a hard biscotti feel, should aim for a golden brown (But not too light, as then they'll be undercooked).

32. Expect that about 1/5 of the taralli made will either break up while they are being boiled, or they'll burn or whatever, and so won't be presentable. They might taste good, but if they don't look good, they'll not be good enough for guests, so be prepared.

Part VII (Storing the taralli)

33. Taralli can be good for about a week, but like everything else home-made, they're best when they're fresh.

34. Most people keep their taralli in the cupboard, in a basket covered with linen. Or in a cardboard box. It's best to avoid placing them in a plastic box, as they can get soft and mushy. Personally, I find that cellophane -- the type that is used to make gift baskets -- keeps the taralli fresh the best. Many store-bought taralli come packaged in cellophane, or thin cardboard boxes.

35. Always serve taralli at room temperature.

36. In the old days taralli were served with wine (They supposed work up an appetite for wine, as well as improve its flavor). Nowadays most people serve the taralli with coffee as well. Obviously, sweet taralli goes better with coffee than fennel or anise-flavored taralli. In any case, like anything else in life that gives pleasure, taralli can become addictive, so be forewarned.

These tips are not written in stone, meaning they might not be of use to everyone. Additional tips on how to facilitate the making of taralli are welcomed. One never graduates from the School of Cooking (Everyone fails a grade or two!).... The photo of the four kinds of "Taralli Baresi" popular in North America was taken by this contributor. The braided taralli on the wooden platter was store-bought, the rest were home-made.

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