Homemade Taralli and Breadsticks

By Chef Fabio Piceni

TARALLI

A soft no yeast dough, made with olive oil and white wine. Boiled then baked.

Ingredients:

500 grams flour
125 grams extra virgin olive oil
200 ml dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1-Preheat the oven at 400F.

2-In a food processor, mix the flour with oil, salt and wine until smooth and well combined. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes covered in a bowl.

3-Roll out the dough, into 2 1/2 inch ropes and join the ends together to form a tear drop shape. Place them on a clean towel.

4-Boil into water and strain when they start floating. Place the boiled taralli on paper towel to remove the water in excess. 

5-Place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden. 

6-Let cool completely before eating.

HOMEMADE HERBED BREADSTICKS

Grissini are crunchy pencil-sized breadsticks with a rustic, uneven appearance coming from the hand-stretched process. They often accompany antipasti, they can be served as appetizers wrapped with paper-thin slices of prosciutto, and they are also a great snack to nibble on.

Ingredients:

1 kg 00 flour 
40 grams fresh brewer yeast
20 grams salt
10 grams barley malt or honey
20 grams sugar
70 grams extra virgin olive oil
550 grams water
Your favorite fresh herbs, minced

Directions:

1-Using a food processor, mix all the ingredients until well combined. Then, knead the dough by hands until elastic.

2-Transfer the dough to a work surface, cover it with a clean dishcloth and let it rest for 30 minutes

3-Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until about 5mm thick. Cut the dough into small sticks

4-Sprinkle durum wheat semolina on your work surface and roll the stick in the semolina.

5-Stretch the sticks gently with your hands, starting from the center and tugging towards the ends until long 

6-Bake at 400F for about 16 minutes. 

buon appetito!