Friselle Pugliesi

Got Friselle? Finely chop a bowl of plump, sun-ripened tomatoes and set them on the table with salt, pepper, olive oil, hot pepper paste (what one finds in Puglia consists of shredded hot peppers packed in oil, and it packs a delightful wallop), freshly picked basil, and a large bowl of water.

Take a frisella and dip it in the bowl of water, holding it for a second or two before putting it on your plate. Slather it with the chopped tomatoes, and season them to taste with the various condiments and herbs. Enjoy, with a hearty, rustic white wine.

Making them from scratch? Assemble the ingredients listed above. Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water, then combine it with the flour and a pinch of salt to obtain bread dough. Shape the dough into 6-inch diameter rings and let them rise for a half hour, then bake them in a preheated 400 degree oven. When they're half done (firm but not hard), remove them from the oven and cut them in half horizontally with the wire, then return them to the oven to let them finish baking. When they're done whey should be quite dry.