Frico/parmesan Chips
I had heard that some people were making a delicious snack with leftover cheese rind, and I was puzzled by the idea. I called Antonio Santini, owner of <epi:fdictlink id="2236">Dal</epi:fdictlink> Pescatore, one of three three-star restaurants in Italy, and he gave me his interpretation, where you practically grill the rind. Luciano Pellegrini, the chef at Posto, and I decided to experiment. We weren't satisfied, because the rind was kind of chewy. So we decided to try the cheese in a nonstick pan. The cheese is so oily and full of flavor, I thought, let's just stick it in the pan and see what happens. That turned out to be the key to success. The traditional frico is a Friulian dish made with Montasio, a creamier cheese that is very hard to find in America. That's fried cheese, almost like a pancake topped with meat or vegetables. This is flakier and softer. Serve it when people walk in the door.
4.4
(2)
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
2 cups domestic Parmesan cheese, processed to a powder
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle enough Parmesan cheese to just cover the bottom of the pan (for a 9-inch pan, use about 3-4 tablespoons cheese). When it is golden brown — which can take less than 1 minute — use a pair of tongs to grab the edge and gently lift it out of the pan. Turn and cook the other side briefly.
Step 2
Blot excess oil on a paper towel.
Step 3
Working quickly, shape the frico on a rolling pin to form a cylinder, oraround the base of a cup to form a basket.
Step 4
Serve alone as an assaggino — the little morsel you offer guests when theyarrive.
The Valentino Cookbook
Villard
