Black Pepper Taralli

I first came across these little snack loops—not quite a cracker, not quite a breadstick—in Puglia in southern Italy; they were great “pack food” for nibbling on endless train rides and meanderings through dark cobblestone streets. Taralli come in both sweet and savory flavors; my particular favorites are the slightly hot black pepper-flecked ones. They are often served with wine, into which the taralli are dipped. Because they are so sturdy, they’re great dunked into gooey dips like the