Cut off a small amount of dough and roll into a 1/2-inch thick log. Cut the log into 5-inch long pieces. Then form a 'doughnut-like' shape by pinching the opposite ends together. Repeat the above process with the remaining dough. Place the taralli in a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute or until they float to the surface.
Then, put the boiled taralli in the oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are browned and crispy. Repeat steps 5-9 until all of the taralli dough is made. If you have a single oven, you will need to bake them in batches and it may take longer than listed in the recipe card.
The whole process of making these taralli cookies begins by combining some yeast, water and sugar. While the yeast is doing its thing, combine the rest of the ingredients and place them in the bowl of your stand mixer. Then it’s just a matter of adding the yeast mixture and letting your stand mixture “knead” the dough for about 10 minutes.
Taralli can be referred to as cookies, crackers, biscuits, or biscotti de pepe. This taralli ricetta pugliese, is the best homemade recipe and so much better than store-bought Trader Joe's or Flora's packaged taralli. Italian pepper cookies originated in the Puglia region which is where my family came from and the town of Bari.