Taralli Napoletani 'Nzogna e Pepe

Name: Taralli Napoletani 'Nzogna e Pepe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Campana
Ingredients: 500 g strong white flour; 220 ml Water; 12 g Fresh yeast; 5 g Sugar; 150 g strutto; 8 g Black peppercorns; 10 g Fine sea salt; 160 g whole unpeeled almonds

Crispy, braided Neapolitan savoury bread rings enriched with rich pork lard, toasted whole almonds, and a generous kick of cracked black pepper.

🇮🇹Italy· Campania

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 55 min
Total: 95 min
Servings: 10
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 395 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

500 g strong white flour — type 0 or strong bread flour
220 ml Water — lukewarm
12 g Fresh yeast — or 4 g active dry yeast
5 g Sugar — granulated
150 g strutto — pork lard, soft at room temperature
8 g Black peppercorns — very coarsely crushed or cracked
10 g Fine sea salt — fine grain
160 g whole unpeeled almonds — raw, skin on

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•Baking parchment
•Baking sheet
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 395 kcal
fat: 21 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 9 g
calories: 395 kcal

Instructions

1
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in lukewarm water in a small bowl until frothy.
2
Roughly chop sixty grams of the almonds, reserving the remaining whole almonds for decorating the rings.
3
Combine the flour, salt, cracked black pepper, and chopped almonds in a large mixing bowl.
4
Add the soft strutto and the yeast liquid into the flour mixture.
5
Knead the dough on a clean surface for ten minutes until smooth, pliable, and slightly shiny.
6
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and rest for one hour until visibly puffy.
7
Divide the dough into twenty equal portions and roll each into twenty-centimetre-long thin ropes.
8
Twist two ropes together to form a braid, then join the ends to seal a round ring.
9
Press three to four whole almonds firmly into the crevices of each braided ring.
10
Place the rings onto parchment-lined baking sheets and leave to prove for thirty minutes.
11
Bake at 180°C for forty minutes, then lower to 150°C for fifteen minutes until deeply golden and dry.
12
Transfer the taralli to a wire rack to cool completely and turn crumbly and crisp.

Chef's tips

Crush the black peppercorns coarsely in a mortar rather than using fine pre-ground pepper to get the signature aromatic bite. The second lower-temperature baking stage is essential to dry the interior completely so the taralli stay crunchy. Do not replace the strutto with butter or oil if you want the authentic flaky Neapolitan texture.

Ingredient substitutions

strutto → clarified butter or vegetable shortening, though the authentic savoury flakiness will change
fresh yeast → 4 g fast-action dried yeast

Storage

Store in a sealed tin or airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Warm in an oven preheated to 150°C for five minutes to restore maximum crispness if softened by humidity.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Underbaking the taralli, which leaves the centre unpleasantly soft and doughy instead of crumbly.
•Using finely powdered black pepper, which turns the dough grey and creates harsh heat without aromatic crunch.
•Failing to press the whole almonds firmly into the dough, causing them to fall off during baking.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside an ice-cold lager as enjoyed along the Naples promenade.Pair with green olives and Neapolitan cured meats on an antipasto board.Enjoy slightly warm or at room temperature as an afternoon savoury bite.