Olive-Oil Pepper Biscuits |
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Prep Time: 90 Minutes Cook Time: 90 Minutes |
Ready In: 180 Minutes Servings: 100 |
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These wine-infused, ring-shaped biscuits, called taralli, are on every Pugliese table during the antipasto course, but good ones can be hard to find in the U.S. This homemade version replicates their crisp, crumbly texture, with occasional hits of black pepper. Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups 00 flour |
1/3 cup semolina (sometimes called semolina flour) |
1 teaspoon sugar |
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided |
1/3 cup dry white wine |
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil |
4 cups water |
Directions:
1. Whisk together flour, semolina, sugar, pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, then stir in wine and oil. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead with lightly floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
2. Put dough in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover bowl with oiled plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
3. Bring 4 cups water to a boil with remaining teaspoon sea salt in a medium pot.
4. Meanwhile, halve dough, then cut each half into 10 pieces. Keeping remaining dough covered, roll 1 piece of dough into a 20-inch-long rope on an unfloured surface. Cut rope into 5 pieces, then roll each piece into a 4-inch-long rope, connecting ends of each to form a ring. Transfer to a lightly floured kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Oil 2 large baking sheets.
6. Boil rings in 4 batches just until they float, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to oiled baking sheets, arranging rings 1/2 inch apart.
7. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
8. Cooks' note: biscuits keep in an airtight container 2 weeks.
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