Frico con la Mela

Name: Frico con la Mela
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 250 g montasio mezzano; 100 g montasio vecchio; 350 g tart firm apples; 25 g Unsalted butter; 2 g Fine sea salt; 1 g Black pepper

Frico con la mela, known in Friulian as frico cun pomis, is a crisp pan-fried Montasio cheese cake cooked with tart mountain apples for a rich sweet-savoury balance.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

250 g montasio mezzano — aged 2-4 months, coarsely grated
100 g montasio vecchio — aged over 10 months, finely grated
350 g tart firm apples — such as Renetta or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
25 g Unsalted butter — for softening the fruit
2 g Fine sea salt — to balance the sweetness
1 g Black pepper — freshly cracked

Equipment

•Non-stick frying pan
•Box grater
•Wooden spoon
•Flat plate or lid
•Chef knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 36 g
carbs: 16 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 26 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thin slices about three millimetres thick.
2
Melt the butter in a heavy twenty-four-centimetre non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
3
Add the apple slices to the pan and cook for eight minutes until soft and lightly coloured.
4
Mix the coarsely grated mezzano Montasio and finely grated aged Montasio together in a bowl.
5
Scatter the grated cheese evenly over the softened apples in the pan.
6
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook gently without stirring for ten minutes.
7
Tilt the pan occasionally and pour off any pooled liquid fat into a small bowl.
8
Shake the pan gently to ensure the bottom crust releases and slides freely.
9
Invert the frico onto a flat plate or lid, then slide it back in.
10
Fry the second side for five minutes until deep golden and crisp.
11
Slide onto a warm serving board and rest for two minutes before slicing into wedges.

Chef's tips

Use a reliable heavy non-stick pan to ensure the cheese releases cleanly without tearing. Pouring off excess melted fat during cooking keeps the frico light and helps form a crisp, golden crust.

Ingredient substitutions

Montasio → Asiago d'Allevo or aged Piave cheese, though the traditional Carnia flavour profile will change
unsalted butter → lard, for an authentic historical Alpine flavour

Storage

Store cooled frico in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a dry frying pan over medium heat for five minutes to restore its crisp crust.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Stirring the mixture once the cheese begins to melt, which disrupts crust formation.
•Using very soft dessert apples that collapse into purée rather than holding tender slices.
•Attempting to flip before the bottom develops a solid, cohesive crust.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot alongside a steaming mound of coarse yellow polenta.Pair with a glass of crisp local Friulano or lively Schioppettino.Accompany with a simple green salad dressed in light apple cider vinegar.