World Bread Day '08: Taralli al Peperoncino

As already in the last two years today Zorra invites us again to bake a bread for World Bread Day. Whereas I baked bread loaves in 2006 and 2007 this year I went for something different.

On one of our last visits to Italy I bought a bag of spicy Taralli al Peperoncino, Chilli Taralli. Taralli, the oval-shaped bread"sticks" originating in the southern Italian region of Puglia, make a very nice snack food with a glass of wine or a cold beer. They may be flavored savory or even sweet.

Back home I used a recipe from Maggie Glezer's Artisan Baking Across America for Fennel Taralli, omitted the fennel and added both ground and crushed chiles.

Like bagels Taralli are boiled before they are baked in the oven. Taralli keep very well.

Das deutsche Rezept für Chili Taralli gibt es hier in meinem Brotkasten.

-=========	REZKONV-Recipe - RezkonvSuite v1.4
Title:	Taralli al Peperoncino - Chilli Taralli
Categories:	Bread, Chilli, Italy
Yield:	60 Taralli

Ingredients

1/2	teasp.		Dry yeast
250	grams		Water
450	grams		All-purpose-flour
120	grams		Durum flour
9	grams		Salt
3	tablesp.		Olive oil
60	grams		White wine
1-2	tablesp.		Crushed Chiles; (I used 10 g Tien Tsin, seeded,
			-crushed )
1	teasp.		Ground chiles, extra hot
2	tablesp.		Olive oil; for the boiling water

Source

	adapted from
	Maggie Glezer
	Artisan Baking Across America

	Edited *RK* 10/13/2008 by
	Petra Holzapfel

Directions

In a small pitcher, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, stir, and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Combine the all-purpose flour, durum flour, ground and crushed chiles and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, white wine and yeasted water. Mix the dough together, then knead this incredibly stiff dough until it smooths out a little.

Immediately after mixing, cut the dough in about 60 pieces (each 3/4 oz, 20 g). Place a cup of water next to you to help you roll. Dampen your hands with just a few drops of water and roll a piece of dough into a rope about the thickness of a pen. It should be about 7-8 inches long (18-20 cm). Pinch the ends together hard. Hold the rope ring together at the seal and let it drop into an elongated oval shape. Place it on a tray. The seal should be at the top curve. Continue to roll and shape the rest of the taralli.

Cover the taralli with plastic wrap and let them rest for 2 hours. They will not appear to rise at all.

Preaheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Fill a wide pot three-quarters full of water, add some salt, bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat so that the water simmers. Add the olive oil to the simmering water. Line a baking sheet with some tea towels. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper.

Boil the taralli in batches small enough to fit comfortably in the pot. They will sink at first then quickly float (if they do not float, let them continue to rest for another hour, then boil them). After they float and puff up a bit, after about a minute of boiling, skim them from the pot and let them drain on the tea towels. Boil the remaining taralli. After each batch has drained, move them to the paper-lined baking sheets.

When you have finished boiling the taralli, bake them until they are golden brown and very dry, about 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway into the bake. Let them cool on a rack and store them in a sealed container.

Petra: the dough is really incredibly stiff. If it is to stiff to handle, add a few drops of water.

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