My husband is 100% Italian. As far as I know, I’m 100% Texan. He has a great ethnic heritage; I am more of a mutt.
In my family, we followed recipes – usually cut from local newspapers or found in tried-and-true cookbooks. In his family, recipes were passed down from generation to generation, rarely written down, requiring more of a hands-on apprenticeship.
So when we married, I began training.
Geoff focuses on the pasta recipes (stuffed shells with Italian “gravy” are his specialty) while I have tried to learn the traditional holiday dishes. Tarrellas were often served at Easter.
While Geoff’s grandmother, the youngest in a family of eight, was born in the United States, several of her siblings came from the “old country.” I think the Italian spoken in the home was a mix of English, Italian, and some unknown dialect.
Cora’s recipe is called Tarella … although she pronounced it “Tah-dall” … and when I did a google search, most recipes are known as Taralli. Slightly confusing…
Before traveling to Italy last spring, I would have described this bread product as an Italian bagel. A very bland, lighter bagel. However, in Italy they are more like a snack cracker – similar to the way we eat pretzels. And they come in a variety of savory as well as sweet flavors.
This recipe, however, is the one that is near and dear to my husband’s heart. It is his comfort food – and while a little time consuming to make, I don’t mind this labor of love.
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2.5 cups flour (plus a little more)
Directions:
- Beat the eggs, salt, pepper and oil and then slowly add the flour
- Turn mixture onto floured board and knead about 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed. Dough should no longer be sticky but soft and elastic
- Let rest about 15 minutes, and then knead a few more times
- Cut small pieces of dough and form into individual rings (in Italy the rings are small – about 2 bites, but Cora made them as large as bagels)
- Drop rings into boiling water for about 10 minutes (don’t crowd… about 4-5 at a time is ample)
- Remove from boiling water and let cool
- When they are cool, place on baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes
Fortunately my rolling abilities improved over time
This post is a part of BethFishReads’ Weekend Cooking link-up. For more delicious recipes, please visit this weekly blog feature.
Revising Life after 50 
That’s a new type of pastry to me, very interesting to learn about them. I looked around on the web and evidently several sources sell ready-made ones. I’m sure yours are nicer!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Actually, we purchased several ready-made ones in Italy and they were delicious!
LikeLike
I have never heard of tarellas, they sound wonderful.
LikeLike
If you like bland, they are terrific 🙂
LikeLike
How fun and how lucky for your husband that you undertake that labor of love for his favorite comfort food. They look delicious. (I think I might be tempted to treat them like a bagel and dip them into a veggie or lox and cream cheese schmear!) 😉
LikeLike
Scheming with lox and cream cheese would be perfect! I may try that myself 🙂
LikeLike
The process is similar to bagels too, with the boiling first. I’d like to give them a try if they’re lighter, as you say. Maybe sprinkle with poppy seeds?
LikeLike
Sprinkling with poppy seeds might work well. I know some traditional recipes call for Fennel seeds in the dough.
LikeLike
It does look labour-intensive, Molly, but for a good cause: a happy husband!
LikeLike
He does appreciate it – he savors every bite 🙂
LikeLike
I’m trying to imagine what these taste like! Cheers from Carole’s Chatter!
LikeLike
Mostly a dry cracker with a hint of black pepper 🙂 Can you tell I don’t like them quite as much as my husband?
LikeLike
I bet these would be great to have with wine before dinner. I’m also thinking one could change the flavors … add some herb, a little Parm cheese, chili powder. The wheels are turning….
LikeLike
YES! I noticed several online recipes actually called for wine in the dough, which I think might be fun to try sometime.
LikeLike
I love the step by step, I have never tried making something like this before. Adding different flavors would change out thet Taste, I agree with BFF, some Parmesan would be good.
LikeLike
Parmesan makes anything taste better 🙂
LikeLike