Italian Taralli
These Italian Taralli, are similar to a cracker, bread stick and pretzel all rolled into one, but better. A soft no yeast dough, made with olive oil and white wine. Boiled then baked. Crunchy and tasty!
There are basically 2 types of taralli, sweet and savory. This savory recipe is easy to make and perfect anytime of the day. Taralli are very popular and available throughout Italy, they are mainly produced in the south, in Puglia and Campania. Typically made with lard and pepper.
What are the ingredients?
- Flour – all purpose flour
- White Wine -dry
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Fennel Seeds
How to Make Taralli
In the stand up mixer add the flour, salt, olive oil and half the wine start to knead with the dough hook on speed #2, add the remaining wine and the fennel seeds, knead for 7-10 minutes until smooth and compact.
Move the dough to a flat surface and knead to form a compact dough ball. Roll small pieces of dough into a 5 inch / 12 cm long rope. Place one end slightly over the other to form a knot. Place the knots on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I made 32 taralli.
Boil water in a large pot, once it is boiling add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add the taralli 5-6 at a time (depending on the size of your pot) and boil, remove once they float and not before. Remove with a sieve and place on a clean cotton tea towel. Continue until all the taralli have been boiled.
Leave the taralli to dry for at least 4-5 hours, you can even leave them overnight, turn them over after half the time has passed.
Place the dried taralli on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Turn off the oven, open the door half way and leave for 10 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can they be made by hand?
Yes they can be made by hand, combine the ingredients as per the recipe with a fork then move to a flat surface and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
Different spices to use
If you prefer plain then you can leave out the spices or you can add your favourites from black pepper, hot pepper flakes, oregano, chopped rosemary etc.
What are Taralli?
They are almost like a Cracker, Bread Stick and Pretzel all rolled into one. Make some this Easter season and serve with a dip or cheese.
Italians also love to eat Taralli with a glass of wine or why not feel like a native and have a few with a Campari?
Where do Taralli Come from?
Good question and hard to answer, since Taralli are in fact prepared all over Italy. But most believe that they originated in the South in Puglia. In Campania they are made with lard and black pepper.
I also realized that sweetening them up and without the addition of boiling them, they then become sweet wine cookies!
How to store them
They should be stored in an airtight bag or container and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. It is not a good idea to freeze them.
So if you are looking for a delicious Italian tradition then why not make some Italian Taralli? Enjoy!
More Italian snacks
Italian Taralli
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain) (275 grams)
- ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons dry white wine (divided) (100 grams)
- ¼ cup +½ tablespoon olive oil (56 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½-1 tablespoon fennel seeds if desired
Instructions
- In the stand up mixer add the flour, salt, olive oil and half the wine start to knead with the dough hook on speed #2, add the remaining wine and the fennel seeds, knead for 7-10 minutes until smooth and compact.
- Move the dough to a flat surface and knead to form a compact dough ball. Roll small pieces of dough into a 5 inch / 12 cm long rope. Place one end slightly over the other to form a knot. Place the knots on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I made 32 taralli.
- Boil water in a large pot, once it is boiling add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add the taralli 5-6 at a time (depending on the size of your pot) and boil, remove once they float and not before. Remove with a sieve and place on a clean cotton tea towel. Continue until all the taralli have been boiled.
- Leave the taralli to dry for at least 4-5 hours, you can even leave them overnight, turn them over after half the time has passed.
- Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C).
- Place the dried taralli on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Turn off the oven, open the door half way and leave for 10 minutes.
- Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Republished from March 12, 2015.
HI Rosemary /everyone,
I am looking for a sweet version of these specific to the Puglia region. Taralli pugliesi..
They are risen then FRIED and they are sweet. They have flour, potato starch,egg,olive oil,sugar,salt in them and yeast. If you have heard of these or had them if you could message me the recipe or the name you might know them by, All i have is an OLD recipe from my mother friends and some of the ingredient measurements are missing. Specifically the yeast and sugar. Rosemary (my late moms best friends name) perhaps you could ask these same ladies if they know this version. Its pretty specific so I will keep my fingers crossed.
Thank you all
I make these without wine as i am allergic to it, however my mom always made them with lots of ground black pepper. My husband and daughter love red prpper flakes, so last year made them with the dried red pepper flakes A big hit! Thank you for your revipes. Always looking for Italian cookie recipes.
Hi Linda, thanks so much, my husband loves red pepper flakes, I will have to try that too. Great idea. And I have more Italian Cookie Recipes on the way. Have a great weekend.
Hi Linda
I was looking to make these without wine also. Did you add more liquid to compensate for this ?
Thanks
Also did you just replace the fennel with red pepper flakes:)
Hi Rose:
Thank you for this recipe. Been looking for one for a long time. My grandmother would always make the
taralli. She would give them to us when we were teething as babies. Thank you for bring back such beautiful memories of my grandmother.
Hi Joann, thanks so much and so glad I could bring back memories. Gramma memories are the best! 🙂
Of dear ! Haven’t made these for ages ! Thank you for your recipe !
Thanks so much, hope you enjoy them. Have a great weekend.
We just returned from a 3 week trip to Italy. Brought back 2 bags of the Tarallini. Yum, looked up the recipe and found yours this will a definite item in my gift bsskets. Thanks kdy2
Hi Kdy2, I hope you enjoyed your visit. And yes Taralli are so good. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Have a great Sunday.
I am so excited to have found your recipe. When I visited my sister last October, I could seriously not stop eating these. I don’t even think my daughter got to have more than 5 once we got home, even though I picked up 3-4 bags at Auchon before leaving! Anyway, thank you so much for sharing. I think that, since I’ll be making a double batch at the very least, I’ll use my stand mixer…
Hi Kari, thanks so much. I know what you mean I love them too. I hope you enjoy them, let me know.
These reminded me of the ones I get in Italy! They are my favorite savory cracker. I love the recipe! Given the amount of kneading involved, I will probably double or triple the recipe next time (it only yielded about 20 for me).
These are keepers!
Hi Ilene, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Have a great week.
I love Taralli. Can I skip dunking in water. What does dunking in water do? it is very much like breadsticks and breadsticks aten’t boiled. Can this step be skipped. athank yiu.
Hi Lydia, well I was told not to skip this part, because it helps to give them the shiny coating, helps with the taste and texture. Hope that helps.
Hi! Thank you for the recipe! Used to buy these in Wien, Austria all the time, but rather eager to try making them myself.
One question though – I just tried and had to add water because the dough kept crumbling-how do you make it without any water?
Thank you!
Kind regards,
Tash K.
Hi Trash, sorry for the late reply, I find Italian flour a little different and that’s ok if you have to add a little water or even wine. 🙂
Hello,
I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. What kind of flour do you use?
Hi Irene, I use regular all purpose flour (or 00 in Italy). Hope that helps.
Never heard of these before here in the U.S. but your pictures make them look really good. I bet my kids would take handfuls – anything pretzel/breadstick-esce thing in my house always goes over well 🙂
Hi Stephanie, thanks, if you make them let me know how it goes.
This “cookie” has always been made at Christmas time, although our recipe has sugar instead of wine. Yes they are addicting. Thanks for bringing back a memory
Hi, your welcome, I will have to try them without the wine. Thanks, have a great Sunday.
Hi Rose,
I just found your blog and I really like it!
These taralli “crackers” look so nice, I wish I could have few pieces in front of me right now 😉
Anyway, I will definitely try it these days…
Hi Jasmin, thanks let me know how you like them. Thanks for stopping by have a great weekend.
Oh wow…these might be dangerous for me, lol. I might eat a whole bag. Rose, I’ll never have time to try all your recipes…and I really need to, everything you make looks so good!
Mille Grazie ! This is just the type of food I really love to make and above all love to eat. The snackly foods you can grab and run are always good — that way you don’t leave evidence such as a dirty plate or crumbs 🙂 This is going on my to do list. Buona sera!
Hi Marisa, I know I love these things, totally addictive. Have a great weekend.