Frico di Parmigiano
Lacework discs of aged cheese baked until golden and brittle. These shatteringly crisp wafers concentrate the nutty, crystalline intensity of Parmigiano-Reggiano into an elegant cocktail accompaniment.
- 4 ozParmigiano-Reggiano(finely grated, aged 24+ months)
- pinchBlack pepper(optional)
- 1 tspFresh rosemary(minced, optional)
Store in airtight container up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate.
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment
- 2Place tablespoon mounds of cheese 3 inches apart
- 3Flatten each mound slightly into thin circles
- 4Add optional pepper or rosemary to tops
- 5Bake 5-7 minutes until golden and lacy
- 6Cool completely on pan - they crisp as they cool
Use finely grated cheese, not shredded. Watch carefully - they go from golden to burnt quickly.
Frico is a preparation of grated hard cheese cooked until the fat renders and the protein matrix crisps into a thin, lacy wafer, and in its Parmigiano-Reggiano form represents the essence of Italian cucina minimale: a single premium ingredient, no additions, transformed entirely by heat. In its original form from Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy, frico is made with Montasio cheese and can range from a thin crisp to a thicker, folded pancake. The Parmigiano-Reggiano version draws on the most geographically protected and historically documented cheese in Italy: Parmigiano-Reggiano has been produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Bologna and Mantua for over nine hundred years, with the first written documentation appearing in a notarial deed from Genoa in 1254. It received Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) status in Italy in 1955 and EU PDO protection in 1992. The cheese must be aged a minimum of twelve months (and typically twenty-four or more) before being grated; the Maillard browning during baking concentrates the already-intense glutamate flavor of aged Parmigiano into an even more concentrated, brittle wafer. In Italian aperitivo culture, frico di Parmigiano is a standard accompaniment to prosecco and spritz.