Torcetti al Vino

The more common name for these rustic cookies is Ciambelline al Vino, or “little wine rings.” They are typically shaped into circles before being dipped into sugar and baked. I like to cross one end over the other; hence my name for them, Torcetti al Vino, “little wine twists.”

You can see from their rough texture that these cookies are the opposite of elegant and fussy; petit fours they are not. But they are delicious ~ not too sweet, crunchy and crumbly, long-keeping, and always ready to be dipped into a glass of wine or mug of coffee.

Ciambelline al vino are typical of Lazio, the region that includes Rome, and its neighbor Abruzzo. The ingredients evoke the harvest season: wine and olive oil are the primary components, along with flour, sugar, and fennel or aniseed. The cookies can be made with white or red wine, but in Abruzzo it’s customary to use Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

This recipe is adapted slightly form one posted on the website Taste Abruzzo. The traditional method for making them is “all’occhio,” (by eye) which is to say without really measuring. You just combine a “glass” of wine, a “glass” of olive oil, and a “glass” of sugar; and then work in enough flour to achieve a supple dough that can be rolled into ropes and shaped. I’ve added more precise measurements to help you out, though in truth you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you try it the old way and use your instincts and your “occhio.”

TORCETTI AL VINO
Makes 40 to 50 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 “glass” (3/4-cup/170g) Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine
1 “glasss” (3/4-cup/170g) extra-virgin olive oil
1 “glass” (3/4-cup/170g) granulated sugar, plus more for dipping
About 4 1/2 cups (540g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons aniseed

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pour the wine, oil, and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low to help dissolve the sugar. Add in 3/4 of the flour, the salt, and the aniseed, and mix on low until the flour is absorbed. If the mixture is sticky, sprinkle in more flour until the dough comes together. It should be dense and shiny.

2. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and knead it briefly. It will be somewhat rough-textured. Form it into a ball, cover it with a bowl, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

4. Fill a small bowl with sugar. Cut off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll it into a thin(ish) rope, about 4 inches in length and slightly thinner than your pinkie. Note that this oil-rich dough tends to break apart as you roll. Not to worry; simply press it together and re-roll. Bring the ends of the rope together and pinch to form a “ciambella” or cross one end over the other to make a “torcetto.” Dip the top of the cookie into the bowl of sugar to coat the surface (leave the underside uncoated) and place the cookie on one of the prepared baking sheets. Continue shaping and dipping cookies. You will fill at least two trays.

5. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 20 to 22 minutes, until they are golden and browned along the edges. Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. You should end up with 40 to 50 cookies. Store them in a tin, where they will last for at least a week, unless you eat them sooner (you will).