FRISELLE (LITTLE PEPPER NUGGETS)  (Blake Olson)

Breads, appetizers, Italian
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. baking powder
¾ cup olive oil
1 cup cold water

Measure flour, pepper, salt and baking powder into a bowl.  Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk oil and water well to blend. Pour liquid over dry ingredients all at once. Stir well to combine. Dough will be thick. Turn dough onto countertop and knead 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Proceed as per regular biscotti.  (The original recipe called for cutting them into tiny little nuggets.)

Blake's note: Friselle are savory biscotti that are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine. They are ideal for a cocktail party, and in our family we munch on them during the afternoon for a snack. Friselle can be an elegant and luscious treat when served with strawberries drizzled lightly with fine balsamic vinegar. The peppery flavor of the friselle complements the sweetness of the strawberries and makes a perfect foil for the sweet yet acidic flavor of the vinegar. Friselle will keep for weeks (if you can resist polishing them off in a couple of days) in a tightly covered tin. And they make a terrific gift presented in an attractive jar or tin and accompanied by a good bottle of red wine.)