Homemade friselle with re-milled durum wheat semolina flour have a completely different taste. Friselle or twice-baked bread is a long-lasting product due to its cooking method, which is twice-baked. Typical of Puglia, called frise or friselle, are bread rolls made with durum wheat flour that are baked in the oven once, then cut in half and baked again for toasting. Naturally, friselle are not only from Puglia, but also from Basilicata and almost the entire south of Italy is interested in this simple and rustic food. In not-so-distant times, friselle were used by sailors when they were at sea, and they would soften them by soaking them directly in seawater to consume.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Puglia
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Spring, Summer
- Energy 269.04 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 53.89 (g) of which sugars 0.00 (g)
- Proteins 10.84 (g)
- Fat 3.08 (g) of which saturated 0.53 (g)of which unsaturated 1.03 (g)
- Fibers 0.29 (g)
- Sodium 585.03 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 90 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Necessary Ingredients to Prepare Friselle with Semolina Flour
- 21.16 oz re-milled durum wheat semolina flour
- 0.35 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1.48 cups water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2.4 tsp salt
Tools to Prepare Friselle
- Stand Mixer
- Kneading Board
- 2 Baking Pans
- Parchment Paper
- 2 Tablecloths
Steps to Prepare Friselle
Put all the ingredients in the stand mixer and start with the hook to prepare the dough for friselle. If you don’t have a stand mixer, prepare the dough by hand like our grandmothers did, and sometimes like I do as well. Work the bread dough for at least 8 minutes, let it rest on the kneading board for half an hour, then make some folds and let it rest again for another half hour. Repeat this operation three times, and when the volume of the dough has doubled, divide it into 11 pieces of 100 grams (3.5 oz) each.
Work each piece into a rope and shape it into a ring, place the friselle on the baking tray lined with parchment paper, spaced apart as they will double in size.
Cover the friselle with a tablecloth and let them double in size for two hours.
Bake them in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for 20 minutes
After the time has passed, take them out of the oven, being careful not to burn yourself, and cut them in half
Place them back on the baking tray (with the cut side facing up) and put them back in the oven for another 20 minutes at 392°F (200°C) for toasting.
And here they are, the friselle with semolina flour, ready to be seasoned with salt, extra virgin olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and basil.
How long do they keep
If you make, as I did, 22 friselle, you can store them in a sealed plastic bag once they have completely cooled down. They remain crispy this way for several days, even more than two weeks.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How can friselle be seasoned?
A very simple way to season friselle is with salt, extra virgin olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and artichokes in oil with plenty of basil. Any other ingredient you want to add is perfect.
