Apulian crunchy white wine rings (Taralli)

1. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and fennel seeds, pour in the white wine and extra virgin olive oil and knead for 10 minutes into a smooth, fairly firm, elastic dough; cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll them into pencil-thick ropes about 12 cm long, then press the ends together to form small rings.

3. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and drop in the rings in batches; as soon as they float to the surface (1-2 minutes), lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a tea towel.

4. Preheat the oven to 190 °C and place the rings on a tray lined with baking paper.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and completely crisp; lower the heat to 170 °C for the last 10 minutes so they dry out inside too.

6. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Tip: In Puglia they're nibbled with aperitifs and wine; the pre-boiling makes them glossy and extra crunchy, and they keep for 2-3 weeks in an airtight tin - you can use chilli flakes or black pepper instead of fennel.