CHEESE CRISPS

You’d think, coming from an Italian family, I would have heard about cheese crisps sooner. The cheese crisps, also called frico, are pieces of lacy fried cheese that can be formed into bowls, chips or a crunchy garnish. Hailing from Northeast Italy, the dish—along with a softer version carrying the same name—has been passed down from one generation to the next.

Where have I been?!

You can use any hard cheese, like Parmesan, Asiago or aged cheddar, that will retain enough of its shape to maintain a “lacy” texture, but melt enough that the crisp will hold together.

How to make cheese crisps

Baked frico

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of finely shredded or grated cheese to create circles about 4 inches across. Make sure the cheese is spread evenly. Leaving about 2 inches between each circle, bake until the crisps barely begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Skillet frico

For the skillet method, you’ll make the cheese crisps one by one. Spread 2 Tbsp. of finely shredded or grated cheese to create a 4-inch circle and cook until the edges are a light golden brown, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Either way, I usually err on the “well done” side when baking because I like things to be a toasty brown. But frico is the exception—too-brown cheese tends to have an unpleasant charred flavor.

(Can’t get enough cheese? You’ll want to check out the cheesiest recipes we’ve ever made.)