Most often dubbed “fricos” or “frico cheese crisps” on restaurant menus, these thin-and-crunchy rounds are generally made using only grated Parmesan, but I like to add a little flavor interest by adding grated white cheddar cheese along with chopped pistachios and fresh thyme. They are delicious served as appetizer nibbles or used to accompany green salads.
Make sure that you have a thin, flexible metal spatula to lift them off the baking sheet. They are at their crispy best served within hours of baking, but if storing, layer them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container up to one day.
Parm-Cheddar Crisps
Yield: About 30
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (loosely packed) grated white cheddar cheese
1 generous cup (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped shelled, roasted, salted pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine cheeses in medium bowl. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonsful (dinnerware teaspoons not measuring spoons) onto 2 rimmed baking sheets leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them so they have room to spread out when they melt. Sprinkle each with pistachios and thyme leaves. Press each down slightly. You can use the back of a spoon or the bottom of clean fingers.
3. Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until crisps are bubbling and edges are slightly golden. Let rest for about 20 to 30 seconds. Remove with thin flexible metal spatula (I turn mine upside-down) and cool on paper towels.
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.