Italian Friselle Recipe
User Reviews
5
Italian Friselle Recipe
Description
The Italian Friselle recipe starts with preparing a biga starter from flour, water, and yeast to encourage natural fermentation. The dough combines all-purpose flour, bread or semolina flour, water, the biga, and salt, kneaded until smooth and left to rise until doubled. It is divided into rounds, each shaped with a central hole and baked twice to achieve the characteristic firm, dry texture needed for friselle.
The finished friselle have a crunchy texture that rehydrates slightly under the tomato topping made with chopped tomatoes, celery, onion, oregano, salt, basil, mozzarella, and olive oil. This topping adds freshness, moisture, and rich flavor to balance the bread's crunch. The preparation involves fermentation and careful shaping, reflecting traditional Italian bread-making methods.
The tomato topping can be adjusted to preferred seasoning, and if the friselle feel too hard, a small amount of water can be drizzled before adding the tomatoes to soften them. This dish is suitable as a snack, appetizer, or light meal, combining crisp bread with fresh vegetables and creamy mozzarella.
Ingredients
FOR THE BIGA
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons water lukewarm 105F/40C
FRISELLE DOUGH
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 148 grams total, if you double the recipe, double this amount
- 1½ cups bread flour 240 grams if using semolina flour, or semolina flour
- ¾ cup water 195 grams total, if you double the recipe, double this amount, lukewarm 1 tablespoon 105F/40C
- 1 teaspoon salt
TOMATO TOPPING
- 2 medium/large tomato seeded and chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
- 1 half red onion chopped if desired
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 small mozzarella cheese fresh, chopped if desired
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
FOR THE BIGA
- In a small/medium bowl add the water and sprinkle the yeast on top, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a draft free warm area for about 2 hours or doubled.
FRISELLE DOUGH
- In the bowl of the stand up mixer add the all purpose and bread flour (or semolina) and whisk to combine. Slowly add the water and mix with a fork, add the biga and knead with the dough hook for about 30 seconds, then add the salt, continue to knead for about 6-7 minutes to form a smooth dough. On a lightly floured flat surface form the dough into a ball in a lightly oiled bowl, rolling the dough to lightly cover in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours until doubled in bulk.
- Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and divide into 5 equal parts (about 70 grams each). Form into balls and with the round end of a wooden spoon poke a hole in each ball, gently stretch to enlarge the hole. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, cover with either plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft free area for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Before baking enlarge the holes again if needed.
- Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C).
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes until lightly golden, remove from the oven, lower the oven temperature to 340F (170C). Slice each roll in half through the middle and place cut side up back on the cookie sheet. Bake again for 30-35 minutes or until golden and hard, they should be dry. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Serve topped with the tomato filling.
TOMATO TOPPING
- In a medium bowl add all the ingredients and toss together.
Notes
- If the friselle are too hard to bite, soften them by drizzling with a teaspoon or two of water before adding the tomato topping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 163 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 163kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 296mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 61mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 89IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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