Ring-shaped cookies

At the end of a meal out, I rarely order dolci, sweet desserts, but after a long, leisurely Sunday lunch of tuna carpaccio and spaghetti alle vongole (with clams), at the restaurant Pierluigi in Rome's Centro Storico, we happened upon ciambelle, a sweet cookie with a distinctive shape. When my caffe decaffinato arrived, the waiter surprised us and brought along a small plate of what appeared to be ordinary sugar cookies shaped into rings. One bite proved these were unusual: not too sweet, with a delicate crisp bite, and a mild but unidentifiable fruity flavor. Later I learned it was red wine.

Before that day, I had never tasted ciambelle, which aren't strictly a Roman tradition. Many regions of Italy have their own version, and it's not unusual to find other baked goods shaped in a ring -- breads, cakes, doughnuts -- also called ciambelle, ciambellini, or ciambelloni (all mean "circle," but the different endings denote a difference in size). They're typically sold at a forno, bread bakery, as opposed to a pasticcieria where you buy creamy, buttery confections.

In Rome, ciambelle cookies are reliably crisp and sugary on the outside. Traditional flavorings, which add a delicate taste, are red or white wine. Some bakers are now using limoncello, a lemony, sweet after-dinner drink. The type of wine or liqueur used also affects the texture. I prefer ciambelle made with red wine, which have the crispest consistency.

The cookies aren't difficult to make at home. With olive oil as the fat, the dough is surprisingly easy to work with and almost indestructible. In addition to the oil, the recipe calls only for wine or liqueur, and sugar -- these added in equal parts --and then enough flour to make a soft, elastic dough. Combine the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon, the way an old-fashioned cook might. No electric appliance or baking skills, like separating eggs or creaming butter and sugar, are required here.

Once the dough is prepared, cut it into small pieces, then roll the pieces between your palms into short ribbons or "snakes." The ends of the ribbons are pressed together to make rings, which are rolled in sugar before baking.

I thought I would never bake in my little Roman kitchen, but ciambelle are so easy to prepare I've made several batches. Rome is a city full of surprises, and discovering a plate of wonderful cookies that you didn't ask for, or expect, was only one of them.