Parmesan cheese is quite possibly Italy's most popular cheese. The hard, dry cheese has clearly won its way into the hearts of America. It's made from skimmed (or partially skimmed) cow's milk and has a pale golden rind and light-straw interior. Although Parmesan is made in the US, Argentina, and Australia, for it to be authentically Italian it must be called Parmigiano-Reggiano. On average Parmesan is aged for two years. It has a granular texture that's sometimes characterized by crystals.
The flavor of Parmesan is salty, complex, and nutty. Parmesan is insanely versatile: it's obviously delicious in pasta, makes a wonderful addition to any cheese plate, is great shaved on salads or crisped on pizzas, and makes an exceptional frico. What exactly is a frico? Find out when you read more.
Frico, quite simply a crispy disk made of grated cheese, are native to Italy's Friuli region. Traditionally fricos consist of montasio cheese, but authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano is a nice substitute. Fricos can be used in salads, but paired with a glass of Prosecco, they make a light, luxurious appetizer.
Modified from Food & Wine
Ingredients
4 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In the corner of a large nonstick baking sheet, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the grated cheese in a 4-inch round. Repeat to make 3 more rounds on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the rounds.
- Bake the frico in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly melted and golden brown. Let the frico cool on the sheet for 2 minutes to firm up.
- Using a metal spatula, transfer the frico to a platter to cool completely; they’ll crisp as they cool. Repeat with the remaining cheese. Arrange the frico on a platter and serve.
Serves 8.
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Jipepe
Trainerspotter
All Saints
When I make the cheese fricos I use cookie cutters to make different shapes. I just bake them in the oven with the cookie cutter still on the baking sheet to hold the form, them remove them while the cheese is still warm and soft.
1Wow. I'll bet I could eat these all day.
2I've had these topped on creamy soups instead of croutons or crackers. Heavenly!
3I use to make these as a snack when I followed Atkins. Fit in the plan and was a change from the standard proteins.
4I also make them in a non-stick skillet; just heat them on low until they get that lovely brown color!
5so crispy and delicious!!!!
6These were delish! yummmmmm. im getting hungry again just thinking about them
7I've always wanted to try making these, actually. Maybe I'll try that soon. They look delicious, but I'm always afraid they'll stick or something.
8another cheese we on yumsugar should feature is haloumi. it's a cheese that you can grill or brown on a saute pan without it melting! super delicious with salad.
9OOh, my aunt makes these! She makes them smaller and then when they're still warm and kind of soft from the oven she puts them over the lip of a soda bottle so they form into little cups and you can fill them with a good dip. Yum!
10I had these on a salad, amazing! I didn't know they were so easy!!
11Update: partysugar let me try these and they are beyond delicious! I can't wait to try and make them myself!
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