Taralli ‘nzogna e Pepe | Neapolitan Almond Taralli Biscuit Recipe
3 min read
There are a number of totally different sorts of taralli “biscuits” in Italy, however these are our favourite. Hailing from Naples, the place they are often discovered on each avenue nook, Taralli ‘nzogna e Pepe are huge, daring, spicy and completely scrumptious.

Taralli ‘nzogna e Pepe | Neapolitan Almond Taralli Biscuit Recipe
The Secret to Making Excellent Neapolitan Taralli
Pork lard. That’s the key! And no, it can’t be substituted. Lard is what offers these taralli their unbelievable, flaky texture that’s each crunchy and delicate on the similar time. Earlier than you click on away to search for a more healthy recipe, it’s price remembering that lard has much less saturated fats (unhealthy fats) and extra monounsaturated fats (good fats) than butter. Whereas lard might not be as wholesome as olive oil, this can be a recipe that’s price doing proper so… deliver on the lard!
Watch the Pasta Grammar video the place we make Neapolitan Taralli right here:
TARALLI ‘NZOGNA E PEPE RECIPE
Makes: 10 taralli
Prepare dinner Time: 4-5 hours, largely unattended
For this recipe, you will want:
-
1 1/2 tsp. (6g) energetic dry yeast
-
1/2 tsp. (2g) white sugar
-
2 1/8 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
-
2/3 cup (75g) complete almonds
-
6 1/2 tbsp. (85g) lard
-
2 tsp. (10g) salt
-
1 tsp. (2g) high quality black pepper
Begin by making a pre-fermented poolish starter. In a mixing bowl, mix 8 tsp. (40ml) of water with the yeast and sugar. Stir till the yeast dissolves. Add 6 1/2 tbsp. (50g) of all-purpose flour and blend all collectively completely. Cowl the bowl with plastic wrap and let relaxation at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or till the poolish develops a number of little bubbles.
Whereas the poolish matures, toast the entire almonds in a medium/scorching pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring or tossing often. Roughly chop them and put aside for later.
In a big mixing bowl, mix 1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour with the lard, salt and black pepper. Add 10 tsp. (50ml) of water. Combine collectively within the bowl by hand, then switch to a evenly floured floor and knead till all the elements are evenly included.
Flatten the dough out right into a pancake form, and pour the chopped almonds on high. Fold them in and provides the dough a fast knead to distribute them. If the dough is simply too sticky, you possibly can evenly mud it with flour however attempt to use as little as doable.
Minimize the dough into 20 equal items. Take two of those items and roll every of them beneath your palm into a brief snake, concerning the width of a thumb. Gently twist these round one another, deliver the ends collectively and press them closed. The outcome must be a circle of dough made out of two spiraling strands. Place the tarallo on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat to make the opposite 9 biscuits.
Cowl the baking tray with a clear towel and let the taralli relaxation at room temperature for two hours. That is necessary, though they gained’t seem to rise in any respect. Preheat an oven to 355 levels F (180 C). Bake the taralli for half-hour or till golden brown.
For yummiest outcomes, eat the taralli heat and recent. They’re nice chilly, too, and can hold very effectively in a sealed container at room temperature for as much as per week.
Buon appetito!
Need to attempt a candy, almond cookie? Pasta di Mandorla are our favourite cookies of all time! In search of extra Italian avenue meals? Sicilian Arancini are a must-try!