Frico is the most famous dish of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is a cheese pie to which potatoes and onions are added. The composition varies according to the area where one is, but the result is always excellent.
It seems the name comes from the French language; Fricot means cooked vegetables. In Emilia Romagna, there is still a version more similar to this definition, based on vegetables cooked in a pan.
Frico from Friuli was born in the mountains of Carnia, as a poor and peasant recipe, in order to avoid the waste of cheese being thrown away during the making of the cheese wheels. The first evidence is dated back to the half of the 15th century, when a local cook wrote the recipe of the dish in a cookbook.
Visiting Friuli Venezia Giulia today, it is possible to try two versions of this dish: the soft one and the crispy one. To have a soft one, potatoes are added, whereas the crispy one is due to the high temperatures of the pan.
This dish is usually matched with structured red wines, as cooked cheese releases fat and therefore the unctuousness of the product must be mitigated.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Boil them in salted water.
Once ready, mash them with a fork.
Cut the cheese into small cubes.
Fry the sliced onion in a pan with oil.
Add potatoes and cheese and cook for 15 minutes without sticking.
After about 10 minutes without touching the dough, a crust will have formed. It's time to flip to the other side.
Turn off the heat after another 10 minutes and serve hot.
The dish can be customized by removing potatoes and onions and using your favorite cheese.
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