Traditional fricos are thin, crisp disks formed from small mounds of grated Parmesan, but you can make fricos from most hard-aged grating cheeses. Some folks like to add flour or spices to fricos, but we don't. We think the best fricos are made simply of cheese and used as a crispy finish to a salad or a bowl of polenta. It's easiest to make fricos in your oven using parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet as the liner for a metal baking sheet. - Sue Conley & Peggy Smith (Co-Founders)
Makes 16 Fricos
Ingredients
4 oz Wagon Wheel or Hop Along, grated (or any grating cheese)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Use a tablespoon to measure a spoonful of the grated cheese. With your fingers, shape the cheese into mounds, arranged about 4 inches apart.
- Bake just until the fricos begin to color, turning golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. It's easy to burn them, so as soon as you notice them darken and smell their fragrance, take them out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes and then use a metal spatula to transfer the fricos to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you like, you can make these up to 2 days ahead. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot with wax paper between them so they don't stick together. A Wagon Wheel Frico makes a great base for savory toppers like prosciutto and fresh herbs, while cider-washed Hop Along pairs well with fresh pear and apples.
You can find our Wagon Wheel & Hop Along at select Whole Foods Markets, in our Cheese Shops & Cafés, or from your favorite local cheesemonger. For ship weeks of 1/18/21 - 2/15/21, we will be including Hop Along in our Cowgirl Classic and Cowgirl Creamery Deluxe gift packages.