Parmesan Crisps (Frico)

These parmesan crisps, or frico, can be served as an appetizer at cocktail parties or put on sandwiches in place of a slice of cheese. This is an easy gluten-free appetizer recipe that can be made a few days ahead.

I have to tell you, I tried to make parmesan crisps a few times before I got it right, and it shouldn’t have been that way, because these are simple. So do you know why? Because PEOPLE LIE!! Or at least they exclude information sometimes. I am a Virgo and I need all the information! I watched videos of people making these in fairly large skillets and flipping them over with ease, they were making them in the microwave, they were using a microplane, they were using pre-grated stuff.

Well, no. To make these parmesan crisps, you need two things. (Besides an oven.) A block of real parmigiano reggiano cheese, and a box grater. The old-fashioned kind that your grandma used.

You have to use the real parmigiano reggiano, because of the texture and the taste. Cheeses labeled “parmesan” are not the same thing, and there is no regulation on that word, so you just can’t be sure what you are getting. It’s worth the investment to pay for the real thing, because the only ingredient in these things is cheese, and you want it to be the best cheese you can get.

Now I know you are going to say, “Well Debra, then why are you calling them Parmesan Crisps?” Because that’s the general term for parmigiano reggiano in America. The only person in this country who actually says parmigiano is Giada. I’d be happy to call them Parmigiano Crisps, but you’d never search for that recipe, and then where would we be? We’d be without these beauties at our next party and then we’d all be sad.

The other thing you must do is grate it yourself, and on a box grater. Even the pre-grated, real parmigiano has anti-caking agents added, so the cheese doesn’t melt as well into these lovely cheese crisps. I tried using a microplane but two things happened. One, it takes a heck of a lot longer to grate enough cheese on a microplane to make these. Two, they just didn’t have the same lacy texture.

And, I found that grating it with the wide side of the cheese block perpendicular to the counter so you get longer shreds gave the best results.

So that’s a lot of words to say: These parmesan crisps really are easy to make, just grate up some good cheese and you’re pretty much done!

Be sure to save the rinds of the cheese to use in soups and sauces. They keep in the freezer for quite some time.

Related recipes: For more quick and easy party recipe ideas, try Candied Hazelnuts or Bruschetta – Four Ways.

Parmesan Crisps (Frico)

2 tbsp grated cheese per chip

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Grate parmigiano reggiano on the small side of a box grater. I found that it worked better if the cheese was perpendicular to the counter, giving you longer shreds. This gave the frico a lacier texture.

Heap two tablespoons of grated cheese for each crisp into well-spaced piles on the parchment. You can gently tap it down on top if you want.

Bake for 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbling and beginning to crisp.

Remove from oven and allow them to cool completely before lifting off the parchment.

How to store parmesan crisps:

Parmesan crisps can be stored layered with wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for three to five days.