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Friselle
Friselle: the Salento's twice-baked rings, soaked and topped with tomato
Friselle are rings of bread split in half and baked a second time until rock hard, so they kept for months on fishing boats and in farmhouses across the Salento. To eat them you dip them briefly in cold water, then pile on crushed ripe tomatoes, oregano and plenty of olive oil; the bread softens just enough while keeping a crunch in the middle. On August evenings in Lecce and along the coast they are the easiest supper there is. Every Puglian bakery sells them and Italian delis stock them, so this recipe uses bought friselle, made from wheat or the darker, nuttier barley. Chef's tip: dip, don't soak; a few seconds is enough, and the tomato juice finishes the job.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
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Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Halve 10 ½ oz very ripe cherry tomatoes into a bowl and crush them lightly with your hand so they release their juice. Mix in ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp dried oregano and 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Leave for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Fill a wide bowl with cold water. Dip each of the 4 friselle (wheat or barley) in it, rough side up, for 3–5 seconds for wheat and 6–8 for barley, then lift out and shake off the drips. Common mistake: leaving them in the water; they go soggy right through and fall apart under the tomatoes.
Step 3: Set them on plates and wait 1 minute. Press the middle: it should give a little at the surface but still feel firm inside.
Step 4: If you like garlic, rub 1 clove garlic over the rough surface.
Step 5: Spoon the tomatoes and all their juice over the top. Finish with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and ½ red onion and torn 6 basil leaves if using. Eat within 10 minutes, while the centre still crunches.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does friselle take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of very ripe cherry tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of dried oregano?
- Dried thyme or marjoram, same amount.
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