Fennel Taralli Biscuits: Boiled and Baked
Italian fennel-seed crackers made with a simple dough of flour, olive oil, and white wine. The dough is kneaded, rested, then shaped into loops, briefly boiled to create a chewy interior, and finished in the oven until golden and crisp. Serve as an aperitivo or gift.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, siftedbread flour1:1wheat_flouradds glutenFull guide →
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 5 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oilrefined olive oil or mild vegetable oil1:1neutral_fat
- 7 tbsp dry white winedry vermouth or additional water1:1liquidFull guide →
- 2 tsp fennel seedsanise seeds or caraway seeds1:1spiceFull guide →
Instructions
- 1
Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
- 2
Add olive oil and white wine, bring together with a spoon, then knead by hand to form a smooth dough.
- 3
Knead on a clean work surface for 5 minutes until pliable and springs back when pressed; dough will be stiff.
- 4
Knead in fennel seeds until evenly distributed.
- 5
Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and rest for 30 minutes.
- 6
Heat oven to 400°F or 350°F fan or gas 6.
- 7
Squeeze off a walnut-size piece of dough and roll into a sausage about ¼" thick, thinning the ends slightly.
- 8
Cross the ends over to form a loop and lightly press together.
- 9
Place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper and repeat with remaining dough.
- 10
Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
- 11
Add 5-10 taralli at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top.
- 12
Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the lined baking sheet.
- 13
Repeat boiling with remaining taralli.
- 14
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and hard.
- 15
Cool completely; they will harden further as they cool.
- 16
Serve sprinkled with extra salt or gift wrap.
Tips
The stiff dough is intentional; it creates the characteristic dense, hard texture of taralli.
Boiling before baking is essential and creates a chewy interior that crisps in the oven.
Do not skip the 30-minute rest; it allows gluten to relax and flavors to develop.
Good to Know
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; they crisp further over time.
Dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before shaping. Shaped, uncooked taralli can be frozen for up to 1 month; boil from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to boil time.
Serve at room temperature as an aperitivo, with drinks, or packaged as a gift.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip kneading; under-kneaded dough will not be pliable and will be difficult to shape.
Do not omit the boiling step; it is essential to the texture and cannot be replaced by baking alone.
Do not overbake; taralli should be golden and hard, not burned or overly dark.