Italian Recipe: Olive oil and wine Ciambelline (Ciambelline al vino)

I made these today to take to Italian class at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura at Los Angeles.  We devoured them!! (Note that White wheat flour is lighter and milder than whole wheat flour.)

Olive oil and wine Ciambelline  (Ciambelline al vino)

Recipe modified from:  www.madonnadelpiatto.com
Grazie Letizia!!

450 gr (3 cups) 00 unbleached flour or 400 gr white whole wheat flour
150 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
150 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
2 tablespoon anise seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
130 gr (1/2 cup)  light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup extra fine white regular sugar for coating
Preheat oven at 160 °C (340 ° F).
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place all dry ingredients – except the white sugar – in a food processor bowl. Using the blade at high speed, add the oil and wine and blend until most of the mixture forms a soft ball of dough, about 2 minutes.

On a worktop, roll the dough into 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) thick cylinders.
Cut each cylinder into 10 cm (5 inch) pieces and roll them in white sugar to coat.

Pinch the ends of each cylinder together to form a ring.
Carefully arrange the rings on a the baking sheet.
Bake for 30-35 min until just golden around the sides.
Turn once at 20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack and serve with sweet wine like a vinsanto, passito or marsala or a big mug of herbal tea.

Makes approx. 36 ciambelline.