Friselle

17/11/2023

Friselle, or frise as they are called in some parts of Southern Italy, are a type of crunchy bread that is typically from Puglia and is usually enjoyed in summer with tomatoes, oil, oregano, and if liked, garlic and basil. They are perfect for a light and refreshing meal.

Ingredients

500 g of durum wheat flour
250 ml of lukewarm water
12 g of fresh yeast or 4 g of dry yeast
10 g of salt
A pinch of sugar (optional)

Preparation

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. The sugar is optional, but it helps to “feed” the yeast and make it activate faster.
In a large bowl, pour in the flour and add the salt. Be careful not to put the salt directly on the yeast as it could inhibit the rising process.
Add the water with yeast to the flour and start kneading until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place away from drafts for about 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in volume.
Divide the risen dough into balls of equal weight (about 100-120 g each).
Round each ball to form a loaf, then join the ends to shape it like a ciambellone (a ring-shaped cake).
Arrange the ciambellone shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let them rise again for 20-30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 10-15 minutes, until they become golden brown and slightly puffed.
Remove the friselle from the oven, let them cool and then cut them in half horizontally. You should obtain two thin discs from each ciambellone.
Place the friselle disc halves back in the oven, cut side up, and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes or until they become very crispy.

Once the friselle have completely cooled, they can be enjoyed; lightly wet them with water to soften and then season to taste with diced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, and a pinch of salt.

Fun Fact

The double baking of the friselle is a technique similar to that used for cantucci biscuits or the Bolognese ciambella. It is thought that the origin of this preparation is due to the need to preserve bread for long periods, especially for sea voyages.