Friselline with olive oil

Puglian friselline are the small, crispy cousins of large frise. Unlike frise — which are soaked before dressing — friselline are eaten directly, no soaking. They are snacked on, dressed at the moment, or used as a crispy base for cherry tomatoes, olives, preserves and spreads.

They are the bread of Puglian farmers: simple, genuine, long-lasting. Today they have earned a place of honour in the Mediterranean diet — recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

According to legend, friselline were brought to Puglia by Aeneas when he landed at Porto Badisco in southern Salento. The story is evocative, but it tells us something real: friselline are an ancient product, rooted in this land for centuries. They were the farmers' bread — the kind that did not go stale, that could be taken to the fields, that fed many with little.

They are made from bread dough, shaped into rings, oven-baked, cut crosswise in half with a thread and then biscuited again at low temperature. The result is a small, completely dry and crispy ring that keeps well and is ready to enjoy at any time.

The friselline on this page are small and eaten without soaking. Large frise on the other hand require a brief dip in water before dressing: they change texture, become soft in the middle and lend themselves to richer toppings like fresh tomato, oregano and a drizzle of oil.

Friselline stay crispy: at most they absorb a little moisture from the topping, but their structure stays intact. Perfect for aperitivo, for snacking, or alongside a sharing board.

The ancient bread of Puglia, always ready

Artisan Puglian friselline: crispy, genuine, no additives. Dress them with extra virgin olive oil and taste Puglia straight away. A Mediterranean diet product with centuries of tradition.