This article, written by Domenica Marchetti, appears on The Washington Post.

Give the sugar a rest: These holiday snacks have savory Italian flair

Enough with the Christmas cookies. It’s time to take a walk on the savory side of baking. The holiday season is in full swing, which means office parties, open houses, family gatherings and gifts from the kitchen. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if, instead of another batch of rum balls or Mexican wedding cakes, you showed up with something salty and crunchy: a basket of fennel-and-pepper-spiced taralli (rings) or a bundle of elegant grissini (breadsticks) as long as a baguette?

Get the recipes for all three homemade crackers and read more at The Washington Post.