Friselle Bread

friselle on a plate topped with fresh tomato salad

5 from 1 vote

Italian Friselle look like bagels but taste like crunchy bread sticks! Eat them as a snack after briefly dipping them in water, or serve them topped with tomato salad for an appetizer.

Prep Time3 30

Cook Time50

Course: Appetizer, Bread, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: (makes 12 halves)

Calories: 179kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

10 ounces bread flour (or all-purpose)
10 ounces white whole wheat flour (or use white flour)
1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast (see notes if using active dry yeast)
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups warm water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
tomato salad (optional for serving)

Instructions

Add the bread flour, white whole wheat flour, instant yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hooks. Stir on the lowest setting for about 30 seconds to combine. Add the warm water and olive oil. Knead (speed 2 on a Kitchenaid) for 4-5 minutes, until the dough comes together.
Place in a greased large bowl (you can use the mixing bowl without cleaning it first. Spray it with cooking spray.) Roll the ball of dough around to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours, until doubled.
On a floured surface gather the dough and knead it by hand for a minute, shaping it into a football size. Cut the dough into six, equal sections (or pull off 6 pieces and weigh them, aiming for 5.2 ounces each. You can add or subtract dough to each piece as needed.)
On a clean surface without any flour, roll out each piece into a 13-inch-long rope. (Start in the middle of the log and roll it back and forth, sliding your hands farther apart to lengthen it.)
Form a circle with each rope, pressing the ends together. Place the rings on a parchment-lined sheet pan and press them down with your hands to flatten them a bit. Cover lightly and let them rise for one hour (or two hours if using active yeast.)
When the rings have another 30 minutes left to rise, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the whole rings initially for 25-30 minutes on the center rack.
Slice the friselle in half with a serrated knife. (Make two thinner rings from each frisella.) Spread out the halves on the same sheet pan, cut-side up. (It's fine to crowd the pan as shown in the photo in the post.) Bake for another 15-20 minutes until they're dry and browned on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
You MUST soften the friselle with water or olive oil in order to eat them. Dip each half in a small bowl of water for 5-10 seconds. It will still be crunchy but you'll be able to bite into it. Eat the friselle plain after dipping in water, and it will taste like a crunchy bread stick. Or, serve with tomato salad on top, like bruschetta.

Notes

If using active dry yeast, use 1.5 teaspoons. Sprinkle the yeast on top of one cup of warm water. Let sit for five minutes, then stir. Add this mixture to the flours, salt and olive oil. Add another ½ cup of warm water and proceed with the recipe.
This recipe makes two pounds of dough. It yields 6 whole friselle, which get sliced in half and baked again. You'll end up with 12 halves.
Please don't try to bite into the friselle without softening them first...they'll be hard as a rock unless you add some liquid.
Soaking the friselle in water for 5-10 seconds will still give you crunchy bread. You can soak them longer if you want the friselle even softer. Try not to make them mushy.

Nutrition