Frico
Friulian potato and Montasio cheese cake
Potatoes, onion and Montasio cook into a soft, savory center beneath a crisp golden cheese crust, served hot in shared wedges.
Golden crust, soft potatoes & MontasioA golden cheese crust,
a soft Friulian center.
Frico is a Friulian cheese preparation with several forms. Frico morbido combines potatoes and melting cheese into a low, soft-centered cake with a browned crust. Montasio is a familiar choice, and onion adds sweetness as it cooks into the potatoes.
It is closely associated with Carnia and the wider Friuli area of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Thin, crisp cheese-only frico is a different preparation. The home recipe below makes the softer potato version in one pan, without egg or meat; a firm crust helps it turn and hold together for serving.
Explore by food: Vegetables & cheese
At the table: Contorni · Secondi.
Let’s make frico.
One shared frico in a 24 cm nonstick pan. Use young and medium-aged Montasio so the cheese melts and still has flavor.
One 24 cm frico, cut into four main-course wedges.
What you’ll need
- 600 gpotatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
- 100 gonion, finely sliced
- 200 gyoung Montasio, coarsely grated
- 150 gmedium-aged Montasio, coarsely grated
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 80 mlwater
- to tastesalt and black pepper
This is the soft potato version; it contains neither egg nor a flour batter. A sound nonstick surface and patient browning matter more than a high flame. Polenta, meat and other sides are not part of this recipe.
How to make it
- 01
Soften the onion
Warm the oil in a 24 cm nonstick frying pan. Add the onion and cook gently for about 8 minutes until soft, without darkening.
- 02
Cook the potatoes
Add the grated potatoes, 80 ml water and a little black pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potato shreds are completely tender. Uncover and let excess water evaporate; the mixture should not be wet.
- 03
Melt in the cheese
Add both Montasio cheeses and stir over low heat for about 5 minutes until melted through the potatoes. Taste before adding salt. Gather into a low even round and press gently with a spatula.
- 04
Form the first crust
Cook over medium heat for about 8–10 minutes until the bottom is a deep golden brown and releases when the pan is gently shaken. Reduce the heat if it darkens before setting. Carefully spoon off any large pool of released fat into a heatproof bowl.
- 05
Turn and brown
Slide the frico onto a flat heatproof plate. Place the pan over it and, using oven gloves, turn the plate and pan together so the unbrowned side goes down. Cook for another 7–10 minutes until the second side has a crust. Take care with hot cheese and fat.
- 06
Rest briefly
Slide onto a serving plate, rest for 5 minutes, then cut into four wedges. Serve hot while the interior is still soft.
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