Italian taralli: the tastiest variations
Italy, a land you go to, a culinary tradition you find.
From north to south, from mountain ranges to lakes, from inland to cities to seaside resorts, the Bel Paese boasts an immense food and wine heritage with a long history. An extensive list of excellent products still presented today in the most authentic styles, but also through innovative recipes and variations that further embellish this almost unique treasure in the world.
Today we want to talk about taralli, typical southern Italian products widely distributed especially in Campania, Calabria, Puglia and Basilicata.
The real Italian tarallo in authenticity and flavor
According to its basic recipe, the Italian tarallo is a ring of dough consisting of flour, water, oil and salt, unleavened and baked in the oven. White wine can be added to the mixture, while a number of ingredients-including chili pepper, fennel seeds, tomato, oregano-can be added to add flavor.
The tarallo looks quite different depending on where it is produced: while in Calabria it takes on a more modest appearance and is preferred either in the classic version or flavored with aniseed, in Naples the typical tarallo is larger in size and is made with suet flour, pepper and almonds covering the top.
Avignano's taralli, iced cookies typical of Lucania (Basilicata) once prepared for holidays and weddings, and for this reason called "bride's cookies," are very special. In this case the dough also involves the use of eggs, while sugar, water and aniseed are needed for the icing.
At what time of day do you eat taralli?
An appetizing idea for any time of the day; in fact, taralli are ideal as a snack, appetizer, in a buffet, during a meal together or as a substitute for bread and breadsticks and as a treat while sipping a glass of wine with friends.
Very interesting is the all-Neapolitan custom: the Neapolitan tarallo is nibbled on during a walk or after dinner, usually accompanied by a fresh mug of beer while relaxing on the seafront or beach!
Italian taralli to try now: our tips
As we have seen, there are taralli of different flavors, sizes and shapes. Each variety of tarallo originates from the area of production, bringing with it a distinctive and unique wealth of gastronomic culture.
If you would like to try this all-Italian delicacy, some of the most popular flavors include:
- Classic taralli with extra virgin olive oil
- Fennel seed taralli
- Taralli with tomato and oregano sauce
- Pepper taralli
Our online shop of typical Italian products also features multigrain taralli, a typical Apulian specialty, and cocoa taralli, both made exclusively for the U.S. market in keeping with tradition.
If you have any questions, please contact us at no obligation.
