Whole Wheat Fennel Taralli

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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

4. 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.

5. 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.

Rye Za'atar Puffs with Green Olives

These are essentially gougeres - the classic French cheese puff - but with some of my favorite flavors, like rye, olives, and of course, za’atar. I will enjoy these with some feta drizzled with honey and a sprinkling of sumac, more olives, and a glass of white wine! I’m lucky enough to get my za’atar from a friend who brings the “real deal” from Lebanon! What a treat.

Makes about 24 puffs

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup rye flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 whole large eggs
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated plus an additional tablespoon
½ cup pitted green olives, such as Cerignola, coarsely chopped 
1 tablespoon za’atar plus and additional teaspoon

PROCEDURE 

• Mix flour and salt together.

• In a saucepan, bring water and butter to boil. Dump in flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from sides and a dough ball is formed.  

• Cook out flour for a few minutes over low heat in this “baseball” form, stirring with the wooden spoon.

• Place the dough in a stand mixer with paddle attachment and beat on low speed, cooling dough slightly. (Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this by hand in the same pot, using a wooden spoon to mix in the eggs.)

• Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next one. After the eggs have been incorporated, add the chopped green olives, the ½ cup of grated cheese and 1 tablespoon of za’atar.

• Using two spoons place walnut-sized dollops on a sheet pan lined with parchment. You can also use a pastry bag if you have one. The dollops should have height (they should not be flat and spread out). Dab each puff with a bit of water, and then sprinkle the tops of each puff with the remaining grated cheese and za’atar.

• Bake at 450°F (convection is ideal, but not necessary) on the center rack until brown and puffed, approximately 15-20 minutes). Allow to cool fully on tray before moving. 

• When cool, store in dry airtight container.  They also freeze beautifully!