We recently attended a special dinner at Agostini’s Italian restaurant, located in East’s hotel in Canberra. The set menu focused on the cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the northernmost region of Italy and one of our favourites. This was the second such dinner and there will be another, focusing on a different Italian region, in about 3 months time.
Thirty-six guests were seated at three long tables for 12 and we all introduced ourselves to break the ice. We started off with a delicious potato dish called Frico con Prosciutto, followed by pasta with cinnamon. The main course was a typical dish of braised chicken with tomatoes and dessert was Tiramisu, served with a shot of Grappa which was guaranteed to put hairs on your chest!
Chef Francesco (Frankie) Balestrieri, introduced each dish and came to chat with diners throughout the evening. He explained that everyone in Friuli-Venezia Giulia has their own recipe for Frico. I asked him to explain how he made it and while it was fresh in my mind I put it on the menu at home this week, as a light supper, with a mixed salad. It’s very easy to make and turned out perfectly.
A small drizzle of olive oil
About 4 heaped Tbs finely grated cheese (Italian Montasio if you can find it; I used Gruyere)
1 medium potato, peeled and very thinly sliced with a Mandolin
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 slices Prosciutto or Jamon Serrano
Lightly oil a small non-stick omelette pan. Sprinkle with about one third of the cheese. Top with half the potatoes, slightly overlapping. Season with salt, pepper and sage. Sprinkle with half the remaining cheese, then top with another layer of potatoes, salt and pepper and finally the remaining cheese.
Cook over moderate heat until you can see that it’s starting to brown underneath around the edges. The potatoes should be softening – check with a sharp knife. Use a spatular to turn the frico which should be golden brown all over. Cook on the other side, then slide out onto a plate. Cut in two to serve as a light supper or into four to serve as a small appetizer. Top with prosciutto or jamon serrano.
Serves 2
Variation: instead of Prosciutto, serve the Frico with smoked trout or smoked salmon and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some chives.
