Friselle (Ring Shaped Crisps)

Title: Friselle (Ring Shaped Crisps)
Yield: 20 Friselle
Categories: Bakery, Italian, Bread 

Ingredients: 

  1 1/4 ts Dried yeast
  1 3/4 c  Warm water
    2/3 c  Biga Pugliese or durum flour
           -- biga
  3 3/4 c  Durum or wholewheat flour
  2 1/2 ts Salt


  Stir the yeast into 1/2 c warm water & let proof for 10 minutes. Stir in
  the rest of the water & the biga. Mix until the starter is broken up & well
  mixed.  Add the salt & the flour, 1 c at a time, mixing until the dough
  comes together.  Add more water if necessary to prevent the dough coming
  away from the bottom of the bowl. Knead on a very lightly floured board
  until the dough comes together. Set in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic
  wrap & let rise until doubled, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough
  into 10 equal pieces. Shape each one into a cylinder 8" long & as fat as a
  thumb by roling it on a lightly floured work surface with the palms of your
  hands.  The dough will be springy & elastic. As you roll each one, cover
  the others. Set the rolls onto an oiled baking sheet & connect the ends,
  forming rings, about 4" in diameter. Pat the tops so they are level, cover
  with a towel & let rise until they are puffy & doubled, about 1 hour.
  Preheat oven to 400F.  Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil. Put
  the friselle, two or three at a time, into the boiling water. Turn them
  over to submerge both sides, but leave them for only 1 or 2 minutes in all.
  Remove carefully & drain on paper towels. Set the friselle on oiled baking
  sheets & bake for 20 minutes until golden & toasty. Remove from the oven,
  let them cool slightly & then cut in half horizontally. Set them cut side
  up on the baking sheets. Reduce the heat to 350F & return the friselle to
  the oven for 15 minutes, until crisp & crunchy. Use for bruschetta.