When asked to bring a hors d’oeurve to a recent party, I wanted to make something simple which could be held in one’s hand, say, while a glass of wine was in the other. Something that a person could take and walk away with, without fear that the giant glob of guacamole you just perched on your chip was going to fall to the floor, or worse, your cute dress. “Frico” to the rescue! Frico are basically fried cheese crisps, usually made with Parmesan cheese. They are quite possibly the most simple homemade ho-d on the planet…and delicious to boot.
I like to use a combination of grated Parmesan mixed with grated Pecorino Romano. Parmesan cheese is rich and flavorful. Pecorino Romano (“pecora” is Italian for sheep—so it’s sheep’s milk cheese) is tangier with a little bite, which balances perfectly with the nuttiness of the Parmesan. Luckily for me, Trader Joe’s sells these cheeses grated together in the same container, making life a lot easier. Normally, I do not buy pre-shredded cheeses, because they often include anti-clumping additives like cornstarch, but in this case, it’s 100% cheese so I bend my rule in the name of simplicity.
Simply place little mounds of the cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden. I like to top mine with a grind of cracked black pepper, but sometimes opt for a sprinkle of cayenne or a dusting of lemon zest, depending on my mood. They are crisp and tasty, and the perfect match for that holiday cocktail.
Pecorino-Parmesan Crisps (Frico)
1 cup grated cheese, Pecorino Romano/Parmesan blend (or one or the other)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or Sil-Pat liner if you have one)
Place rounded tablespoons of grated cheese about half an inch apart (they don’t spread very much).
Use a glass to tamp down the mounds a little to make thin ’rounds’.
If desired, top with a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper, cayenne, or lemon zest.
Bake for about 8 minutes until edges are browned, and the rounds are golden and crisp.
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat until you’ve made as many as you like!
Serve at room temperature.
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Top photo by sarahmeyerswalsh.
I don’t pick the “veggies”—I just write about...
How do you get to the cheese to tamp down without sticking to the glass?
Comment by sisi — January 28th, 2012 @ 4:43 pm
I didn’t have a problem with it sticking (I just used a regular glass), but you could try wrapping the bottom of the glass in some waxed paper or parchment paper if you find it keeps sticking…good luck!
Comment by Tracy Holleran — January 28th, 2012 @ 5:18 pm