Savoury Squaratella

Makes 36 two and half inch cookies

This squaratella is a recipe from my mom’s town in Calabria and are a mix of a breadstick, cracker and pretzel but way better. These crunchy cookies are made with fennel seeds which gives the cookie a savory taste and are great with cold cuts or a chunk of cheese. However mom only made the sweet version I have on the website as she doesn't like fennel.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp yeast

¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 whisked egg

1/3 cup light olive oil

1 cup warm water

Eggshells of two eggs

Directions

1. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, add flour, yeast, salt and sugar.

2. On level two blend the dry ingredients for a minute, using a spatula to scrap the edges and add fennel seeds

3. Whisk egg and olive oil together and pour into stand mixer

4. Using the spatula keep scraping the dry ingredients into the wet

5. Slowly pour the warm water into the bowl and using the spatula keep scraping the edges

6. Once the dough has come together and formed a ball around the hook, keep kneading on level two for ten minutes

7. Place oven rack in the middle and preheat to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

8. Place the dough on a clean surface and knead for a minute, cover with saran wrap and let sit for 15 minutes

9. Using a cutter take about a tablespoon size of dough and roll out to about 7 inches long and ¼ inch thick

10. Join the two ends about half inch in and press firmly to seal

11. Lay on parchment paper and continue with the rest of the dough

12. Cover with tea towel and let sit for 15 minutes

13. Put a large pot of water to boil and throw in the eggshells (important as makes cookies shinny)

14. Take tea towel off of baking sheet and lay on counter

15. Place 8 cookies into the boiling water at a time

16. Cook for about three minutes, the cookie will rise to the top and at about 2 minutes flip the cookie. You will notice they about double in size

17. Scoop each cookie out with a slotted scoop and place with the pressed ends up on the tea towel

18. Boil all the cookies

19. Place the boiled cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes then lower the oven to 350°F and bake until golden brown all over. You many have to turn around baking sheet if cookies are baking more on one side than another.

20. Take out and let cool on cooling rack for 24 hours

21. Place in Ziploc bags and can be stored in fridge for two weeks or 6 months in freezer

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  Savory Squaratella

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  Dry ingredients in bowl

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  Liquid ingredients

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  Scramble egg and olive oil

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  Fennel seeds

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  Pour egg and oil into bowl

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  Add water slowly

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  Scrap edges with spatula

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  Ball of dough forms

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  Ready to roll out cookies

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  Roll out to 7 inches

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  Bring ends together and pinch

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  All rolled

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  Cover for 15 minutes

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  Boiled cookie on tea towel

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  Cookies rise to top

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  Double in size and flip them

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  Lay on baking sheet and bake

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  Golden cookies

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  Savory Squaratella