SPLIT larger carrots lengthwise and leave slender carrots whole. Cut them on a sharp angle so you have long, angled, ¼ inch-thick pieces of carrot.
PUT the carrots in a medium saucepan or skillet, add a glug of olive oil and ½ cup water, and season with the chile flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and many twists of black pepper.
COOK at a lively simmer, uncovered, until the carrots are just crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes—they should still have definite crunch.
COOL the carrots slightly, drain off any liquid, and pile into a bowl.
ADD the olives and dates.
POUR in the vinegar and toss. Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or vinegar until the flavor is super vibrant.
ADD the parsley and toss again. Drizzle with a glug of olive oil and toss again.
DIVIDE the crème fraîche among 4 plates or a platter and spread it around in a nice schmear.
PILE the carrot salad on top, leaving some cream visible. If you’re serving with the fricos, lay them on top, either whole or broken into shards.