Friuli — frico is documented in Bartolomeo Scappi's 16th-century Opera, where a cheese preparation of the Friulano type is described. The preparation has continued uninterrupted and is now considered the emblem of Friulano cuisine. Montasio DOP is the protected ingredient.
Frico is the defining preparation of the Friulano kitchen — a flat cake made from Montasio cheese (and usually potato) melted and crisped in a pan until both sides are golden and the cheese is caramelised at the edges. There are two versions: frico morbido (soft frico, with potato and sometimes onion, served warm and yielding) and frico croccante (crispy frico, made with aged Montasio only, melted to a thin crisp). Both begin with Montasio DOP — the semi-aged and aged cheese of the Friulano foothills and plains whose flavour ranges from milky and delicate (young) to sharp and granular (aged). The preparation dates to the 15th century in Friulano sources and is the most ancient surviving Friulano recipe.
Frico morbido cut at the table releases steam — the interior is yielding, potato-sweet, and deeply cheesy; the exterior is crisp and golden, with caramelised Montasio at the edges. Frico croccante is a different experience: a translucent, amber-golden wafer that snaps clean and delivers an intense, concentrated Montasio flavour in a single bite. Both versions declare their Friulano origin in every mouthful.
For frico morbido: grate semi-aged Montasio (6-12 months) coarsely. Sauté thinly sliced onion and grated or thin-sliced cooked potato in butter or lard until softened. Add Montasio; mix to incorporate. Press into a flat cake in the pan. Cook over medium-low heat 8-10 minutes until the bottom is crispy and golden; flip (using a plate) and repeat on the other side. For frico croccante: grate very aged Montasio fine; spread thin in a dry non-stick pan; melt until bubbling; flip when the first side is firm and golden; complete the second side. Cool on a rack — it crisps as it cools.
The Montasio quality is the entire preparation — Montasio DOP from the Carnian Alps or the Friulano hills is the reference; anything else produces an inferior frico. The flip is the critical moment — use a flat plate larger than the pan: invert the pan onto the plate, then slide the frico back in. For croccante, aged Montasio (12+ months) produces a more intense, nuttier crisp.
Frico too thick — a thick frico never crisps properly; press it thin in the pan. Heat too high — the outside burns before the interior melts; medium-low is the key. Using aged Montasio for frico morbido — aged Montasio doesn't bind with the potato the way semi-aged does; the texture is wrong.
Slow Food Editore, Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Cucina; Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy