Soft Fennel Taralli Recipe (2024)

I thought it would be appropriate to share this recipe for my Dad’s Favorite Fennel Taralli recipe on Father’s Day.

Fennel Taralli

Taralli (plural) are without a doubt extremely addictive and very unusual as far as texture is concerned. There are many variations of this very simple food to be found throughout the regions of Italy.

This particular variationis made with yeast and is unsweetened. As with most Italian recipes, these fennel taralli are simple but a little time-consuming. However, they arewell worth the effort.

Once you have made the dough and it has been left to double in size (this can takeup to 2hours), you can slice the dough in strips and form them into rings. You can make the rings as small or as large as you like. Iusually form them into7 inch rings; about 1″ thick. Once again, you can make larger (or smaller) rings…it’s really up to you. These taralli get dunked in boiling water, just like bagels, for a few minutes and then in the oven for about 1 hour.

When they are done, they become very shiny, and when you taste them, they are crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside. They are at their best the day they are made. If making a big batch of this recipe, the taralli can easily be frozen.

More taralli recipes

There are many variations, sweet and savory, of taralli recipes across Italy, with different regions and even individual families having unique twists on these classic Italian recipes.

For those searching for a sweet taralli treat, consider trying out either the recipe for glazed egg taralli or the one for taralli cookies. These delectable delights feature the signature crispy sugar glaze and would be perfect for enjoying an Italian Easter celebration.

Recipe origins

I honestly cannot tell you the exact origin of where my mom got this recipe. I always thought it was a recipe she “created” based on trial and error. I only know that these were, and still are, my Dad’s favorite Fennel Taralli. My mom would make many kinds of taralli, but a double batch of these would be made religiously every two weeks. They would be kept in the fridge and my dad would have them as an evening snack while watching TV.

I can still remember the setup. The ginormous wooden board (which I previously wrote about here) would be on the kitchen counter, a large pot of water and one huge mound of flour. My mom would make these taralli manually, with no KitchenAid to help knead. That’s what you call a true labor of love!

A few months after my mom passed away, I found my mom’s collection of recipes. I was extremely surprised to find this recipe, with actual measurementsfor my Dad’s Favorite Fennel Taralli in English, and what looked like my daughter’s writing.

I knew that because of the frequency of these taralli being made and my mom babysat my kids after elementary school; my kids would often participate in the taralli-making process. They would be very proud of the taralli they made with their grandmother.

When I asked my daughter about the recipe, she informed me that she had asked her grandmother for the exact measurements so that she could make these taralli when she got older.

And so, thanks to my daughter, my Dad can still enjoy his favorite fennel taralli.

Best wishes to all the Dad’s for a Happy Father’s Day!

THANKS SO MUCHfor following and being part of theShe Loves Biscotticommunity where you will findSimple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this fennel taralli recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe