Cacio e Pepe Frico

By Ali Slagle

Cacio e Pepe Frico
Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(603)
Comments
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A delicate cracker made by baking mounds of grated cheese into weblike crisps, frico could feature a number of cheeses, be it Montasio, cheddar, Asiago or, in this case, the kinds featured in cacio e pepe. Using both Parmesan and pecorino gives a good mix of richness and tang, though you could just use Parmesan. (Pecorino on its own may be too salty once it concentrates in the oven.) Snack on these with wine or spritzes, or crumble them over pasta, salad, soup or anything that likes a grating of cheese.

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Ingredients

Yield:20 crackers
  • ¾cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
  • ¾cup freshly grated pecorino cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)

22 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 74 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss together the cheeses.

  2. Step 2

    Arrange heaping tablespoon-size mounds of the cheese mixture on the baking sheets, spacing them at least ½ inch apart. Using your fingers, gently pat down each mound to flatten. (It’s O.K. if there are holes — the cheese will melt into a web.) Grind pepper over each round.

  3. Step 3

    Bake until golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets until crisp, then transfer to a serving plate using an offset spatula.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
603 user ratings
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Comments

UESlit

I’ve made these for years and they’re a wonderful standby for serving with a glass of wine. They keep well in an airtight container for up to a week. A sprinkle of Herbes de Provence is a nice variation as is some chopped rosemary.

MishaX

I make these in a hot cast iron skillet. Works perfectly and you can tell how brown they are.

Marty

I made these with cheddar cheese. My first batch did not turn out. They were chewy, not crunchy at all. Why? 1. I put the cheese on too thickly. 2. I did not let the crackers cool on the pan. Once I corrected these things, they were better. However they were NEVER so good as when I made them with Parmesan. I think that the cheddar is just too fatty/greasy to give an ideal result. Will only use Parmesan in the future.

JaneBIVL

Each time I make these, my friends rave and they vanish before more complex and “fancy” bites. Total homer every time.

Pete R.

These are delicious. I made them for a cocktail party and they disappeared. Two thoughts: I’d make them smaller next time, both to make them one bite size and to reduce the strong cheese hit they deliver in one wafer. Second, I agree with others that a little more time in the oven helps.

Kluski

I like salty things, but these were just too salty. I used a ratio of 2:1 parmigiano reggiano:domestic pecorino (all we had). Undecided if I'll make again.

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