Red Pepper and Rosemary Taralli

4 1/2 c. “00” flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt + 1 tablespoon for boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried rosemary

Place flour, 1 1/2  tablespoon salt, herbs, pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Add the wine and oil, and process until it forms a smooth dough.

Lightly brush a bowl with olive oil and sprinkle it generously with flour. Place the dough in the bowl, and dust the top with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 2 hours. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight in an airtight container, and bring it to room temperature the next day.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt.

Brush cookie sheets lightly with olive oil. Have paper towels ready to drain taralli as they come out of the water.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces, leaving the other 3 pieces in the bowl, covered. Flour your work surface and knead the dough lightly. Roll the dough into a long thin rope. Take the end of the rope and form a ring, pressing the edges of the dough together.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Working in batches of 4-6 taralli at a time, drop the rings into the simmering water. They will sink, and then rise to the surface after a few minutes (be patient, it takes a minute or two for them to start to rise). Let them float for an additional 30-45 seconds once they rise to the surface.

Remove each with a slotted spoon. Place the boiled taralli on paper towels to drain. Transfer them to the lightly oiled baking sheets. Repeat until all the taralli have been boiled.

Bake taralli for 45 minutes until they are golden. Let cool on a rack. Store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

A few shots from a recent trip to Sicily…