Taralli Napoletani

Taralli Napoletani. When we refer to the Neapolitan taralli we are talking about a very different product from what is typical of Apulian cuisine. In Naples, in fact, the taralli are large, have the shape of a donut and the surface is decorated with peeled almonds. The flavor and texture are not found in any other products of the same name. It is the presence of lard (in fact they are also known as lard and pepper taralli) that gives this baked product its peculiar characteristics.

By lard we mean the adrenal fat of the pig, difficult to find outside the Neapolitan city. The salty snack most loved by the Neapolitans, has an ancient history that dates back to the distant 1700s. And it’s once more the story of poor people’s cuisine. It seems that the bakers, between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in order not to throw away the leftovers of bread, created a sort of bread for the poor, satiating and cheap; to the “scrap” they added lard, pepper, and almonds; it is under this guise that the Neapolitan taralli are known today.

In Naples, taralli ‘nzogna and pepe accompanied by a good cold beer is something (almost) sacred. After trying, you will easily understand why. Pino Daniele with “Fortunato” also thought of celebrating the goodness of Neapolitan taralli ; a song dedicated to Fortunato o ‘Tarallaro (Fortunato Bisaccia) who between the 70s and 80s went around the streets of the city with his cart to sell this delicacy so useful to the hungry stomach. Over the years, tarallo has become a fanciful snack between meals, to be enjoyed in various ways: with an aperitif or as a snack during a trip or a delicious snack.