The Best Artisan Baked Goods

The tarallo is one of Italy's most famous aperitivo accompaniments. However, the origin of the name remains uncertain. There are many theories: some say it comes from the Latin “torrère” (to roast), others from the French “toral” (drying rack). Referring to its round shape, some believe it derives instead from the Italic “tar” (to wrap) or from Old French “danal” (round bread). The most reliable theory, however, is that “tarallo” comes from the Greek “daratos” (a type of bread).

While the etymology is uncertain, it is known when and why tarallo became popular. It was at the end of the 1700s in Palo del Colle (in the province of Bari), among the poor classes where hunger prevailed, and one of the remedies to try to satisfy it was the tarallo. Bakers, given the times, did not waste even the scraps of dough with which they had just made bread. To these leftover pieces of leavened dough, they added a little extra virgin olive oil and a bit of white wine, products always abundant in these lands. Their skillful hands shaped the dough into two strips that were crossed like a ring, and after rising under a cloth, they went into the oven with the bread. Later, to improve the recipe, they introduced the boiling step, making the taralli shinier and crunchier. They cost very little and were a blessing for the poor people's wallets and palates. 

Over time, housewives learned to make them at home, making further modifications like adding spices, particularly fennel. The recipe was preserved until someone realized it could be turned into a real business. Thus, the workshops multiplied: there are now ten in Palo, which have become full-fledged companies exporting all over the world. 

From local baskets to global exports, from staple food to snack: tarallo has come a long way since then.