Frico Cheese Crisp Recipe
If you love the crispy bits of cheese that stick to the griddle when you make grilled cheese sandwiches even better than the sandwich, frico will become your favorite munchie. Frico are lacy, cheesy, crunchy crackers that are quick and easy appetizers or snacks. They're best when made with Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces young Parmigiano-Reggiano by weight
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
Method
- Prep. Preheat the grill to 400°F (204.4°C).
- Line a baking sheet or griddle with parchment paper (if you have a reusable silicone baking pad, a silpat, you can use that). Parchment is miraculous stuff, impregnated with silicon, and it is the best way to keep frico from sticking. If you cook frico on the grill, and you use parchment paper, make sure it is not hanging over the edges so it won't catch fire. If you don't have parchment, coat the pan lightly with a high smoke point oil such as olive oil. You can use a griddle or even a frying pan on top of a burner, but the method below is for a baking sheet with parchment, the easiest way to do this.
- Shape. Grate the cheese on a box grater using the large holes. Mix the ingredients in a bowl. Scoop the cheese mix 1 tablespoon at a time and make 1 tablespoon piles on the parchment or silpat. Press each mound to less than ⅛ inch (3.2 mm) high, and leave at least ¼ inch (6.4 mm) between piles. Don't make them too thick or they will be chewy rather than crispy.
- Close the lid and bake about 8 to 10 minutes on the middle grate of the oven until bubbly and slightly golden. If you use a dark colored baking sheet they will cook more quickly, so watch them carefully. If they brown too much they will be bitter. Take them away from the heat and let them cool for no more than a minute, then work them loose from the parchment paper (easy to do) or the oiled surface (a little trickier) with a thin spatula. Cool for about 15 minutes on paper towels to absorb any oil that was on the cooking surface or that has exuded from the cheese. If you have more than one batch to bake, you can use the parchment more than once.
Notes
About the cheese. To get the nice lacy effect, it is important to grate the cheese on a box grater using the large holes and to not use more flour.
Optional. You can use other herbs if you wish. Thyme, sage, oregano, and basil, fresh or dried, all work fine. Also, ground black pepper or hot pepper will work just fine too, but you'll see it in the final result. White pepper is invisible.
Optional. If you want to get fancy, top your frico with a daub of creamy cheese like fresh chevre (a goat cheese), creme fraiche, sour cream, whipped cream cheese, or try my boursin recipe. Another topping that is fun is a thin sliver of strawberry or peach.
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