Holiday Delights
CHEDDAR FRICO
Frico, or “little trifles” in Italian, are
very thin, lacy, cheese wafers. Follow
these simple guidelines for making
perfect frico:
Do not grate the cheese ahead of
time—it will lose moisture and will not
melt or spread out properly. Instead,
grate the cheese just before cooking
the frico.
When cooking frico, the exact timing
will vary with the variety of cheese,
the level of heat, and the weight of the
pan. Frico should never be allowed to
become too dark when cooking (when
overcooked, the cheese loses much of
its flavor and becomes bitter). Starting
out, it is best to make the frico one at
a time. It’s like making crêpes—expect
the first few to be less than perfect.
Use them as a guide to adjust the
heat and achieve a perfect, evenly
cooked wafer.
Cooked frico may be placed flat on a
paper towel to cool, or you can drape
each frico over an ungreased rolling
pin as you remove it from the pan.
This will give the cooled frico a soft,
rounded shape.
Frico make a delicious garnish on
salads and are a nice alternative
to croutons in soup. Store at room
temperature in an airtight container
for 2 to 3 days.
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PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE.COM
Makes 2 dozen 4-inch frico
Note: Sharp Cheddar is the best choice for
these frico; the mild variety does not have
enough flavor.
10 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese,
grated on the fine holes of a box
grater to yield 5 cups
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
In a medium bowl, toss the cheese
and the flour together. Heat a medium
nonstic k skillet over medium-low
heat. Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons of the
cheese into the pan to form a circle
about 4 inches in diameter. (Cheddar cheese melts together more so
than other cheeses, so sprinkle it into
the pan so there is plenty of space
between the pieces.)
Sprinkle 1 or 2 leaves of the thyme
over the cheese. Cook until the cheese
is somewhat melted but not firm, 1½
to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the
cheese over and cook until it is firm
and just slightly golden, 30 seconds to
1 minute more. Transfer the frico to
a paper towel to cool. Repeat with the
remaining cheese.