Calabrese Taralli are very different from those made in other regions of Italy. In some parts of Italy these crunchy breadsticks go alongside some good Vin Santo, but I love mine dunked. Growing up an immigrant in a Calabrese/Sicilian home we ate these for breakfast. We dunked them in milk with coffee and we were so lucky to have a nonna who baked every day.
Recently, we kind of had a family feud Taralli baking day. That’s when I decide to call my mom and get the official recipe. Of course there were no measurements; and so, I gambled and was lucky. Growing up I made these thousands of times along my nonna, but you know, she used a handful of this and a glass of that. In fact, mom said to me you know, use a small glass of oil. I had to think, she meant the small Italian wine glasses. I love the black Anise seeds, but searched high and low for them in Italy last year and couldn’t find them. You can find green Anise seeds or use fennel, but today, I opted out.
It’s hard to probably pinpoint the origin of these well-loved breadsticks. I think they stem from the cucina povera. They probably had leftover bread dough and decide to get creative. That’s why you can have savoury or sweet taralli, but of course the recipe changes a bit. In the North they use white wine, but down south we like to drink our wine from a cup. LOL Either way enjoy!!
Here is a sweet taralli/ginetti we make for Easter:https://recipesatmytable.com/nonnas-easter-ginetti/
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup oil ( Canola, vegetable or a light olive oil will do)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp Anise seeds or fennel (optional)
Process
Mix the 1 cup water, 2 tsp yeast and and 1 tsp sugar. Along side I whisk the egg with the 1/2 a cup oil and then add the cold water.
Pulse the flour and the salt.
Add the oil, water and egg mixture first and pulse. Follow with the yeast mixture.
Turn the dough onto a counter and knead. I added about 1/4 cup flour. I kneaded the dough for about 5 minutes.
It was smooth and not sticky.
I cut the dough into four pieces and then each piece into 8.
We rolled the smaller pieces into ropes. I cut each piece of Dough into 12 inch ropes and joined the two ends by pinching them. This should form a ring. the thinner the rope, the crispier the bread stick.
I laid out a table cloth and put the ropes on top.
Don’t overcrowd the ropes in the boiling water. Two minutes are enough. Take them out with a slotted spoon and place on a pan with parchment paper or a cooling rack and then lay them out back on the table-cloth.
Into a 375 F oven they go for 8 minutes on each side.
Out of the oven and ready for some dunking.
Calabrese Taralli
Author Renata Solski
Ingredients
- 4cupsall purpose flour
- 2tspsalt
- 2tspyeast
- 1tspsugar
- 1cupwarm water
- 1/2cupoilCanola, vegetable or a light olive oil will do
- 1/2cupcold water
- 1large egg
- 1tspAnise seeds or fenneloptional
- Makes 32 breadsticks
Instructions
Mix the 1 cup of water, 2 tsp yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Let it get foamy. In another bowl whisk the egg and the 1/2 cup of oil. To this add the cold water.
In a mixer pulse the flour and salt. Now add the oil, water, and egg mixture first and then follow with the yeast mixture. Add the Anise seeds if you choose now. Knead with the dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Keep an extra 1/4 cup of flour handy if needed here.
Cover with a tea towel and let dough rest for about 30 minutes.
Place the dough on a floured counter and knead for one minute.
Cut the dough into quarters. Roll each quarter into a log and cut each log into 8 pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into 12 inch ropes and join the two ends by pinching. This should form a ring. The thinner the rope the crispier the bread stick. Put breadsticks on a table cloth.
Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Drop the trail into the water and do not overcrowd the pan. Put in about 4 taralli at a time. When they come to the top, remove with a slotted spoon.
Place on a cooling rack or a pan covered with parchment paper to drain. Then they can go back onto the tablecloth.
Set your oven to F 375 and place the breadsticks directly onto the oven rack for about 15 to 20 minutes. I like them golden brown. Keep an eye on them
