Name: Taralli sugna e pepe
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Italian, Naples / Campania
Ingredients: 500 g type 0 flour; 200 ml water, lukewarm; 6 g instant dry yeast; 180 g lard, cool but pliable; 10 g fine sea salt; 8 g black pepper, coarsely ground; 120 g almonds, lightly toasted; 30 g almonds, whole, for pressing into the rings

Taralli sugna e pepe: wide hero view of the finished traditional dish

Prep35 minutes

Cook55 minutes

Total3 h

Yield12 large taralli

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The dish

About Taralli sugna e pepe

La Cucina Italiana identifies the classic Neapolitan tarallo with sugna, black pepper and whole almonds as a city symbol.

The dough is intentionally rich in pork fat, which produces a friable, crisp texture rather than a soft bread crumb.

Two thin strands are twisted together and closed into rings, with almonds pressed into the surface.

A moderate bake dries the rings thoroughly so they remain crisp after cooling.

Technique

Three things that matter

Use plenty of pepper. The pepper is a defining flavour, not a background seasoning.
Keep the dough cool. Overheated lard makes shaping greasy and weak.
Bake until dry. Taralli should be crisp through the centre once fully cooled.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Dough

500 gtype 0 flour
200 mlwaterlukewarm
6 ginstant dry yeast
180 glardcool but pliable
10 gfine sea salt
8 gblack peppercoarsely ground
120 galmondslightly toasted

Finish

30 galmondswhole, for pressing into the rings

Step by step

Method

Make the peppered dough

Activate and mix. Combine flour and yeast, add water and mix until no dry patches remain.
The dough should be firm rather than slack.
Add lard and seasoning. Knead in lard, salt and black pepper gradually until evenly distributed.
The dough should become smooth, rich and strongly speckled with pepper.
Add chopped almonds and rest. Work in most of the toasted almonds, cover and rest 45–60 minutes.
The dough should relax and show modest expansion.

Twist the rings

Portion evenly. Divide into 24 short pieces of equal weight and roll each into a rope.
Ropes should be similar in thickness so they bake together.
Twist in pairs. Twist two ropes together without stretching them excessively.
The twist should be visible and even along the full length.
Close and decorate. Join each twist into a ring and press whole almonds firmly into the top.
Seams should be pinched closed and almonds should not sit loose.

Proof lightly and bake dry

Rest the shaped taralli. Cover loosely and rest 25–30 minutes while the oven heats to 180°C.
The rings should look slightly fuller but not bread-like.
Bake until deep gold. Bake 45–55 minutes, rotating trays if needed.
The rings should be browned, fragrant and firm at the edges.
Cool completely. Transfer to a rack and leave until fully cold before judging crispness.
A cooled tarallo should snap and crumble rather than bend.

Practical guidance

Serving

Traditionally eaten as a robust snack, especially with beer or wine.

Storage

Keep completely cooled taralli in an airtight tin for several days.

Pepper

Freshly crushed black pepper gives a much clearer aroma than pre-ground powder.

Troubleshooting

Taralli spread flat. The dough became too warm; chill briefly before shaping.
Centres stay soft. Extend baking 10 minutes at 160°C to dry them without over-browning.
Almonds fall off. Press them into the dough more firmly before the final rest.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 tarallo
Calories: approximately 330 kcal
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 20 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: 330 mg

Approximate; depends on ring size and lard content.

Allergens and food safety

Handle lard and dough with clean hands and cool equipment.

Almonds are a major allergen and should be clearly disclosed.

Cool fully before airtight storage to prevent trapped moisture.

FAQ

Are Neapolitan taralli sweet?

No. Sugna e pepe taralli are savoury, peppery and rich with lard and almonds.

Why use lard?

Lard is central to the traditional friable texture and the name sugna e pepe.

Should they be soft inside?

No. They should cool to a crisp, crumbly texture.

Final note

What matters most

Result: Crisp, deeply peppery twisted rings with roasted almond flavour and a friable lard-rich bite.
Key: Shape while cool and bake long enough to dry the centres.