300 grams (about 2 cups) flour
125 grams (about 1/2 cup) sugar
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix oil and wine together.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.

Blend wet ingredients with dry ones until a malleable dough is formed (If the dough is too sticky add a touch more flour; if it is too hard, add a touch more wine).

Knead for about 8 minutes.

Form the dough into a long thick cylinder.

Wrap with plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to rest for an 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or grease them with butter or lard).

Cut a piece of dough, and form into a taralli-style log -- about 6 inches long, 1/2 inch wide.

Shape the log into a circle, pinching the ends together.

Place the ciambelle on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Continue processing the dough until it is used up.

Bake until golden -- about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove and cool.

Having been born in Casacalenda, Molise, I want to think I know a thing or two about "La Cucina Molisana," but the fact is that it's impossible to know what's what in this region, as every little town and village has its own style of cooking. For instance, just because I myself never heard of taralli referred to as being called "ciambelle" does that mean they aren't called by this name? Growing up I never heard of the now famous "pizzelle" cookies called "pizzelle" in my household (They were known as "ostie" -- hosts) so does that mean that no one called them "pizzelle" in Molise? They might not have done so prior to World War II, but nowadays it's possible few people in the region call them "ostie," but call them by "pizzelle" (as does the rest of Italy). Meaning, that just because someone who was born in Molise hasn't heard of a certain Molisani treat doesn't mean it wasn't (or isn't) made in the region. There is a great deal of variety of foods in this region. Prior to World War II most people didn't travel within the region (They were no paved roads) so the culinary culture from town to town differed. Nowadays, food writers want to catalogue recipes from "Molise" (I am one such individual) but the truth is there is no such thing as La Cucina Molisana. Not really. The group of towns and villages that make up Molise are extremely independent (Well, "were," prior to World War II), so their cuisine is quite unique. Also, the dishes that are now made in the area, especially in Campobasso, the region's capital city, are so different from the outlying areas, that they are not all that representative of "the old country." What is thought of today as Cucina Molisana seems to me as a fusion of other regions -- in particular, Lazio, Campania and Abruzzi. That's just my opinion. I'm not an expert in the field, just a home cook with a passion for culinary history, so my opinion is to be taken with a grain of salt.... Personal comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

Back to main list