In the regions of Southern Italy, and especially in Puglia, they are a must. But also in the rest of the boot they are increasingly known and worn. We are talking about the unmistakable friselle: small donuts similar to crunchy and tasty taralli, to be served with all kinds of condiments. Frize, Freselle, Friseddre: many different ways of calling them, but unique in their kind. But how to stuff the Friselle? Typically they are accompanied by cherry tomatoes, oil, salt and garlic, but they also go very well with one Eggplant caponata or one Calabrian peperonata with a strong taste, becoming a real complete dish with which to have lunch or dinner. Do you want to know how the typical Apulian Friselle are prepared? Let’s see it with the original recipe.

Preparation

1

In the bowl of the planetary mixer, insert the re-milled semolina and the 0 flour, creating a central bowl. Add the crumbled fresh yeast, pour in the cold water and the level teaspoon of sugar. Start kneading with the planetary mixer or, alternatively, by hand.

2

Once the yeast has melted, while continuing to knead, add the salt and oil drizzle. Work the mixture until it comes off easily from the sides of the bowl. If it is too wet, add a little flour until it reaches the ideal consistency. Move the dough onto a floured pastry board, work it quickly by hand for about ten minutes and make a rounded dough to rest in the bowl covered with cling film for 1 hour and a half, in a warm environment.

3

When the dough has risen, divide it into small 100 g loaves and make with each, with your hands, a loaf about 30-35 cm long.

4

Now let’s shape the Friselle: for each loaf made, join the two ends to form a donut, pressing lightly to close it. Place it on the dripping pan covered with parchment paper, taking care to slightly widen the formed donut. Proceed in this way for all the Friselle and leave to rise again for an hour in the heat, until they have doubled in volume. Be careful to leave them far enough apart so they don’t join together.

5

Once they have risen, bake the Friselle in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for 15-18 minutes, until they are slightly golden. Let them cool for a few minutes and, in the meantime, lower the oven temperature to 150 ° C.

6

Cut each Frisella, with the help of a serrated bread knife, in half horizontally and bake them again for another 20 minutes until they are biscuits. Stuff the Friselle to taste and serve!

Accessories

• A planetary
• A serrated bread knife
• Transparent film

Tips and tricks

• Carry out the second cooking immediately after cutting the Friselle in half, in order to obtain the right toasted consistency.
• The Friselle dough must rise in the heat. For this you could insert the bowl with the dough in the oven keeping only the light on. A warmth will form which will facilitate the leavening of the dough.
• Given the long times for the preparation of the Friselle, due to the leavening, you can prepare the dough the night before or in the morning.
• It is often used to ‘sponsor’ the Friselle, that is to moisten them by passing it quickly under running water. In this way they are softened at best to be then seasoned and eaten.
• You can use dehydrated brewer’s yeast instead of fresh yeast. In this case, it must be taken into account that 1 g of dehydrated yeast corresponds to 3 g of fresh yeast.
• These crunchy taralli give their best when seasoned. The Apulian Friselle are traditionally enriched with cherry tomatoes, garlic, oil and salt; but there is also the version that sees the addition of marinated anchovies, oregano and basil. Alternatively, you could use them as a base to accompany pan-cooked vegetables, such as i Artichokes or a delicious and original Pepper hummus. Experiment with various combinations to find the combinations you like best.

storage

Store the Friselle in a paper bag for 8/10 days, in a dry environment. Once ‘soaked’ they should be consumed immediately because over time they risk becoming ‘soggy’ and no longer pleasant in consistency. Freezing is not recommended.

History

From very ancient origins, even dating back to the 10th century BC, the Friselle are one of the foundations of the history of Southern Italy. From the Phoenicians who consumed them as travel bread in navigation and soaked in sea water and olive oil, up to the present day, these biscuits have accompanied many generations. Their donut shape is by no means accidental. In ancient times, in fact, the Friselle were strung on a knotted rope to form a necklace, in order to transport them easily during travels.

Especially consumed by fishermen who soaked them with sea water and share them with fish or mussel soups, today they are used as a delicious aperitif or as a complete lunch thanks to the rich condiments that can accompany them.