For sweet taralli dough
2 1/4 cups flour
1/8 cup sugar
3 extra large egg yolks
1 tablespoon olive oil

A large pot of water for boiling the taralli

For the frosting
2 egg whites
1 cup icing sugar

Equipment needed
baking sheets
double boiler to make frosting

Mix flour and sugar together.

Beat the egg yolks and oil.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ones, working into a malleable dough (If the dough is too dry add a touch of water, of it is too sticky, add a touch of flour).

Knead for about 8 minutes.

Wrap the dough in clear plastic wrap. Let it rest in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.

Remove plastic wrap.

Shape the dough into a long log.

Cut off a small piece of dough.

Using the palms of your hands shape into small-sized taralli logs -- about 4 inches long and 1/4 of inch wide.

Form a circle with the log, pressing the ends to seal together (Should look like a tiny donut).

Continue processing the dough.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place two or three taralli in the boiling pot of water and let them boil for about 1 minute (Should not be too long in the water or they will get soggy).

Place on a clean cloth (to usurp excess water). Cool.

Using a sharp knife score the top of each taralli -- the cut should not be deep.

Place the taralli on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F. until golden -- about 13 to 16 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.



For the frosting

Beat the egg whites until very frothy, add the sugar slowly until it forms peaks, then cook in a double boiler for 10 to 15 minutes.

Spread the icing on the taralli (or dip the top of the taralli into the frosting).

Cool.

Allow to air dry for an hour or so before placing the taralli in an appropriate container.

Store in the fridge until needed.

It seems "Taralli col Naspro" are becoming increasingly popular in Molise. Well, the name is becoming increasingly popular -- in fact, "Taralli col Naspro," are simply sweet tarallini that are generously frosted or iced. Any kind of thick frosting can be used, it doesn't need to use egg whites -- whatever one likes (as long as it thick and sweet). In the old days (prior to World War II) this style of taralli would probably be known as "taralli dolci" and that's about it. I can't say for sure how old (or how traditional) the recipe in this entry is, all I know is that my mother and the relatives I asked, all of whom grew up in Molise in the 1930s, had never heard of it. But that in itself doesn't mean much, as each little town in Molise, has its own name for its cookies and taralli -- they can be identical and yet they go by different names. In any case, the word "naspro" means "ribbon" or "band" suggesting that the sweet taralli are nicely wrapped in lovely white ribbon. Apparently, this style of sweet taralli is often made for baptisms, and when they are made for baptisms, the icing is colored -- blue for boys, and pink for girls. A nice modern touch. What's surprising about this recipe is that the taralli are boiled prior to baking; generally sweet small-sized taralli that don't use any yeast are not boiled. Possibly this recipe would also work without boiling the taralli prior to baking. I myself haven't tried it so I can't say. Also, I suspect other recipes for this style of taralli might use a touch more sugar than the one given in this entry. It seems that in Italy not only is everyone an "opera singer" but it also seems that everyone is a "cook" (And has their own versions of traditional recipes to prove it!). I guess those Italians who immigrated to North America might have been influenced by this anyone-can-do-anything attitude.... Regarding the photo in this entry -- the Italian words that are written on the plate on which the sweet tarallini lie on are the following: "Sapete perche mio nonno campo cent' anni? Perche si faceva i fatti suoi," meaning, "Do you know why my grandfather lived to be a 100 years old? Because he minded his own business!" Comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

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