L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano F rico is a tradi- tional dish from I t a l y ' s F r i u l i - Venezia Giulia region, particu- l a r l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e mountainous area of Car- nia. This culinary specialty is the perfect symbol of the resourcefulness of Friulian cuisine, which turns simple and readily available ingre- dients into flavorful and satisfying dishes. Frico has been a staple of the region for centuries, and is enjoyed both in rustic home kitchens and fancy restaurants alike. The earliest known refer- ence to frico dates back to the 15th century, and was found in the cookbook De Arte Coquinaria by Mae- stro Martino da Como, who served as the chef to L u d o v i c o T r e v i s a n , t h e Patriarch of Aquileia. In this seminal work, the dish is referred to as caso in patel- lecte, which translates to "cheese in a pan," a name that tells us a lot about the simplicity of the dish, since its very inception. Indeed, historically, frico has always been a humble dish, born out of necessity in the more e c o n o m i c a l l y c h a l l e n g e d areas of Friuli; it was creat- ed as a method to use left- o v e r c h e e s e r i n d s a n d scraps, minimizing waste and maximizing available resources. Over time, how- ever, frico evolved from its b a s i c f o r m i n t o a k n o w n culinary tradition, with vari- ations incorporating ingre- d i e n t s l i k e p o t a t o e s a n d onions, which is the version m o s t c o m m o n l y e n j o y e d today. Its evolution also mir- rors the broader socio-eco- nomic changes in the region: a s F r i u l i - V e n e z i a G i u l i a developed and ingredients b e c a m e m o r e a c c e s s i b l e , f r i c o t r a n s i t i o n e d f r o m a peasant meal to a popular delicacy enjoyed across vari- ous social strata. A s m e n t i o n e d , t h e k e y ingredients to make a per- fect frico are very simple and the king among them is Montasio cheese, a cow's milk cheese native to Friuli w h i c h , d e p e n d i n g o n i t s aging process, can vary in texture and flavor, and give more kick to the dish. Montasio is key in both types of frico, the crispy ver- sion, known as frico fri- abile, and the soft version, or frico morbido. The first is made by frying Montasio c h e e s e u n t i l i t m e l t s a n d h a r d e n s i n t o a d e l i c a t e , crunchy wafer, often enjoyed a s a s n a c k , s e r v e d a s a n appetizer, or even shaped into edible bowls while still warm. Frico morbido, on the other hand, combines Montasio with potatoes and sometimes onions, to create a thick, golden pancake with a crispy exterior and a soft, c r e a m y i n t e r i o r ; m o d e r n chefs like to add other ingre- dients to this basic recipe, such as herbs, speck, or sea- sonal vegetables. Frico mor- bido is usually served along with another cornerstone of Friulian — and northern Italian — cuisine, polenta, and pairs well with a glass of local red wine. Some trivia: as it often happens with dishes origi- nating from our mountains, frico shares similarities with other Alpine dishes such as S w i s s r ö s t i , e v e n t h o u g h frico is set apart from it by i t s e m p h a s i s o n c h e e s e rather than potatoes. And if you are a MasterChef USA f a n , y o u m a y r e m e m b e r w h e n F r i u l i a n c h e f L u c a Manfè prepared it on the show. Back in Friuli, frico is cel- ebrated in several events: for instance, the village of Carpacco di Dignano hosts the Sagre dal Frico, a fes- tival dedicated to its many variations, where visitors can sample different inter- p r e t a t i o n s o f t h e r e c i p e . A n o t h e r e v e n t , A T u t t o F r i c o , t a k e s p l a c e i n Flaibano, bringing chefs and food enthusiasts together to present more creative takes on the dish. It is also thanks to fairs such as these that t h e h u m b l e , s i m p l e f r i c o c o n t i n u e s t o e v o l v e a n d remain relevant as a symbol of traditional cuisine. After all this talking and reading, you may be curious to know how to prepare it… Well, making frico is rela- tively simple: you only need a f e w i n g r e d i e n t s , b u t r e m e m b e r , t h e q u a l i t y o f those ingredients is essen- tial. Here we propose a tra- ditional recipe to make frico morbido, to be enjoyed, of course, with loads of polen- ta! Ingredients: 500 grams (1 lb) of pota- t o e s , p e e l e d a n d t h i n l y sliced 250 grams (2.5 cups) of Montasio cheese, shredded ( a s e m i - h a r d c h e e s e l i k e Asiago can be used as a sub- stitute) 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: In a large skillet, heat the o l i v e o i l o r b u t t e r o v e r medium heat. Add the sliced onions and c o o k u n t i l t h e y b e c o m e translucent. Introduce the sliced pota- toes to the skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and slightly golden. E v e n l y d i s t r i b u t e t h e shredded Montasio cheese over the potato and onion mixture. Press down gently to form a cohesive cake. Allow the frico to cook until the bottom turns gold- en brown and crispy. C a r e f u l l y f l i p t h e f r i c o using a plate or lid to cook the other side until it also becomes golden and crisp. O n c e b o t h s i d e s a r e c o o k e d , r e m o v e f r o m t h e skillet and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm. For those who prefer the crispy variation, frico fri- abile, the process is even simpler. Grated Montasio cheese is placed in a non- stick pan and cooked over medium heat until it melts and forms a golden, crunchy wafer. Once removed from the pan and allowed to cool, i t t u r n s i n t o a s o r t o f "cheese crisp" you can enjoy as an appetizer or as part of your aperitivo. If you're the creative type, frico friabile can also be used as a gar- nish on other dishes. CHIARA D'ALESSIO There are many fairs dedicated to Frico around Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Photo: Lorenzo Pegoraro/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES Frico: the savory taste of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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