Taralli

5 from 6 votes

Taralli are wonderful Italian snack crackers that are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and make a welcome addition to any charcuterie board or appetizer spread.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 14

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: taralli

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

3 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (180g) dry white wine sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio work well
1 tablespoon fine sea salt divided
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1/2 cup (120g) olive oil

Instructions

Add the flour, white wine, fennel seeds, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt to a stand mixer and mix with a paddle attachment until combined (~1 minute). Switch to a dough hook and mix on low speed for another 5 minutes. Note: If you don't have a mixer, combine everything in a bowl then bring to a work surface and hand knead for 10 minutes.
Move the dough to a work surface then form a loaf shape. Cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Pull off a small piece of the dough and roll it into a 5-inch long rope that is roughly 1/2-inch thick. Connect the ends together with a slight overlap and press together. Place the taralli onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining dough.
Bring a large pot of water to boil along with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Preheat oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level.
Once the water comes to a boil, add 5-6 taralli at a time and boil just until they rise to the top of the pot (about 1-2 minutes). Remove them with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel-lined baking sheet so that the water drains. After a few minutes flip the taralli over so that they dry out and drain from the other side. Repeat the process until all of the taralli have been boiled.
Place the boiled and drained taralli onto parchment paper lined baking sheet(s). Use 2 sheets if they do not all fit on one. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until they are slightly golden. Enjoy!

Notes

Tarrali can be flavored with a variety of spices. Red or black pepper, herbs, or even red wine instead of white all work well.
Do not use much flour when rolling the taralli. They need to be sticky so that the ends won't open up. But don't worry if they do. They will still be great!
Tarrali will keep for at least 2 weeks in a cookie tin or plastic container.

Nutrition