Two Types of Taralli, the Italian Cookie-Cracker

Name: Two Types of Taralli, the Italian Cookie-Cracker
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 1 envelope 2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 Tbsp fennel seeds; 710 milliliters all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off); 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper; 59 milliliters olive oil; 2 larges rectangular cooling racks, turned upside down and lightly oiled; 2 teaspoons salt; 177 milliliters warm water, about 110°F

Need a dairy free hor d'oeuvre? Two Types of Taralli, the Italian Cookie-Cracker could be a super recipe to try. This recipe serves 16. One portion of this dish contains around 12g of protein, 25g of fat, and a total of 349 calories. This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine. Head to the store and pick up active yeast, fennel seeds, warm water, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 45 minutes.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and set racks in upper and lower thirds.

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Oven

For the dough, combine the flour and baking powder, stirring well to mix.

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Baking Powder

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then whisk in all the remaining ingredients in order. Fold in the flour mixture.

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All Purpose Flour

Egg

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Whisk

Bowl

Turn dough out on to a floured surface and knead lightly to mix. Separate into 16 equal pieces.

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Dough

Roll each to an 8-inch rope, then into a circle. Pinch the ends together to seal.

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Roll

Place eight on each pan.

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Frying Pan

Bake the taralli about 30 to 40 minutes, or until well puffed and a deep golden. Cool on racks.

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Oven

For the icing, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until lukewarm.

Ingredients you will need

Icing

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Brush over the tops of the cooled cookies. Immediately top with multi-colored sprinkles, before the icing sets.

Ingredients you will need

Colored Sprinkles

Icing

Taralli Napoletani: Neapolitan Salty Ring Cookies

Ingredients you will need

- makes 30 small cookies -

Ingredients you will need

For the dough, pour the water into a bowl and whisk in the yeast.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Water

Yeast

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Whisk

Bowl

Whisk in the oil.

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Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Put the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse several times to mix.

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Food Processor

Bowl

Add the liquid and pulse again until the dough forms a ball.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Let the processor run continuously for about 10 seconds to knead the dough.

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Dough

Invert the dough to an oiled bowl and carefully remove the blade. Turn the dough over so that the top is oiled and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

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Dough

Wrap

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Plastic Wrap

Bowl

Let the dough rise at room temperature until in doubles in bulk, about an hour.

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Dough

After the dough has risen, scrape it out of the bowl to a lightly floured work surface and use a bench scraper or knife to cut it into two equal pieces.

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Dough

Equipment you will use

Dough Scraper

Knife

Bowl

Roll each piece of dough under the palms of your hand to a 15" length and cut each into 1" pieces to make 30 equal pieces in all

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Roll

One at a time, roll each piece of dough under the palms of your hands to make an 8" strand. Join the ends together to make a circle, pressing firmly to seal. Line up the formed taralli on a lightly floured work surface or floured baking sheets, making sure they do not touch each other.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Roll

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Baking Sheet

Set the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

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Oven

Fill a large pot (such as the one in which you would cook pasta) 3/4 full with water. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. Set one of the cooling racks on the stovetop (put a pan under it to catch drips) next to the pan of boiling water. Drop the taralli, 6 or 8 at a time into the boiling water and remove them with a skimmer as soon as they float to the surface. Arrange them about an inch apart in all directions, on the prepared racks.

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Pasta

Water

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Stove

Skimmer

Frying Pan

Pot

Bake the taralli about 30 minutes, rotating from the upper third of the oven to the lower third, and vice versa, midway through the baking. Continue baking the taralli until they are golden and crisp.

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Oven

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature on the cooling racks in which they were baked.

Equipment you will use

Oven