These are a perfect snack for early evenings with a glass of wine or a spritz. I love the nutty flavor that comes from using whole grain flour for these, and the semolina helps to mellow any bitterness you might get from whole wheat flour. They have a pleasantly gritty and crisp texture. I used whole grain flour from Savage Acres, who also mill their grain on site, in addition to being a creamery and artisan cheesemaker.
Yields approximately 3 dozen
Ingredients
450 grams whole wheat flour
50 grams semolina flour
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
1 TB whole fennel seeds, lightly pounded in a mortar
100 ml dry white wine
100 ml feta brine*
150 ml extra virgin olive oil
Procedure
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the liquids (wine and oil), and mix well with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly flour wooden board, and knead by hand until the mixture is soft and smooth, approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, knead the dough in a stand mixer with the hook attachment.
Divide the dough into 20-gram pieces. Roll each piece into a long, slim “pencil” about the thickness of your pinky finger and about 4-5 inches in length. Bring the two ends together, overlapping slightly, and press them together to make a ring.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Working in batches, drop in the taralli and cook them for approximately 1 minute, or until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon or spider to a sheet tray lined with a clean linen towel so they can dry. Repeat until all the taralli have been boiled.
Arrange the taralli on sheet pans lined with parchment. Bake them for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked through, golden brown, and crisp. Remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
*I had some leftover brine from a container of Cheese Goatees goat’s milk feta, and I decided to use that for half of the quantity of white wine. It worked great! If you don’t have feta brine, just use dry white wine.
