Cacio e Pepe Frico Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

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.

G

I add some chopped walnuts to the cheese. Recipe from Carla Hall. Delicious and always a crowd pleaser!

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.

Deb Evans

After reading the notes, I made the recipe as stated and loved them. Did put one batch in for 10 minutes instead of 6 and liked them more as they were more cracker-like. So easy and tasty.

Joey

FRICO s crisp better if using tinfoil rather than parchment.

Nanette

We served them tonight, rolled into cigars. When we ran out of pita, they became baba ghanouj dipsticks! Sacrilege? Nope. It was the Lebanese nontraditionalist who created the combo!

Aunticky

These are a staple in low-carb and keto households.

joan

Just made these. Used herbs de Provence vs. pepper. They turned out perfectly. Like a few others, i think they’re a bit salty, so next time, maybe 1 cup parmigiana and 1/2 cup pecorino. Psyched to bring them to friends.

Tobalah

Mix in a tiny, tiny pinch of cayenne. Don’t need the wasteful parchment osper. Just let them cool for a moment, then remove fron the sheet with a thin, flexible spatula. Cool on rack.

Charlotte Ann Marie

Used half Parmesan and half pecorino, and yes, too salty, and honestly a little too greasy. However, I could see them chopped up and sprinkled on a Caesar Salad. They would also make an excellent vegetarian substitute for bacon on a classic wedge salad.

Barb

This was a big hit with our guests. I loved the easy win! Parmesan only worked just fine but the combo was yummy too.

JaneB

Parm is the best cheese for this, in my experience. Freshly grated rather than pre-grated makes a visible difference (taste-able difference too)!

Cheryl

In a pinch (and/or when the kitchen is too lot to turn on the oven), you can quickly do a few crackers on a plate in the microwave (30-60 seconds)

Dev

This is a great recipe for frico croccante (crunchy frico) not to be confused with the other type of frico, frico di patate, which is a crisp patty of onion, potato, and Montesio, also found in northeast Italy. I always heap up the cheese but not press it down; it should melt into a crisp with a slightly gooey center that way. Helps if you use a cast-iron instead of a baking sheet, whether stovetop or in the oven.Also, I second the walnut idea - not traditional but really tasty!

Rob

Cook until you get some browning on the edges. Six minutes was about right. I also used a screw on canning lid as a form.

Connie Evans

I made these according to the recipe, except that I used herbs de provence instead of pepper. They were chewy and a bit greasy. I shredded my own pecorino, but used "fresh" shredded store-bought parmesan. I also used a bit more parm than pecorino given the comments about salt.

Eleanor

Do NOT use wax paper. They stick.

Val

These are better done in the oven than in a frypan . Also easier on parchment. Lift right off.

sheila38

Oh boy! Guests coming and didn’t feel like cooking. Made these little discs of Italian sunshine. EASY. DELICIOUS. BEAUTIFUL. Got a standing ovation and had to explain 3 times how easy it was.

Roxanne

Might be my oven, but I had to leave them in closer to 7 minutes. Big hit.

Scratch

A bit chewy, but I'm fine with that. Tasty and perhaps the easiest app that goes in an oven.

marbsmama

I baked the first batch for about 6 minutes at 375 on convection, the second batch 5 minutes at the same temp and used Parmesan only. They were not as crisp as I would like, so will play with time and temperature. I loved the bite from the fresh-ground black pepper!Note: if you use foil instead of parchment, use the non-stick variety or you will spend minutes peeling the foil from the crisps - that was the first batch. Crisps simply lifted off Parchment I used for second batch.

Margaret

Very good, but very salty.

Patricia

These were ridiculously easy, and a huge hit with my friends. Based on comments, I used 1 c. parm and 1/2 c pecorino--and they were plenty salty. Also used non-stick foil. They looked like a literal hot mess as they were baking, but separated into something like cracker-shaped when they cooled.

JohnL

Can also be made larger (about 6" diameter), and when just cool/firm enough to transfer with a spatula, gently drape over an inverted bowl and leave to droop and then cool completely (10 minutes), ending up with an elegant toasted cheese bowl in which to serve risotto. People love this presentation and it is super-easy. Irregular shape is more interesting than a perfect circle. Also: I always skip the parchment paper and use instead a silicone mat on top of a sheet pan.

PaulM

I've been making these for the past few years as a keto substitute for traditional crackers.

KL

I’ve found that using packaged thinly pregrated cheese, all Parmesan, works well because of the small amount of cornstarch that has been added to keep the cheese from clumping.

Filatura

Perfectly fine, even better if you spread a thin layer of cheese on an 8" non-stick pan and cook over medium heat until the bottom is melted and crisp. Then a quick flip to brown the top. Drain off any released oil. Break up into several small jagged pieces or use the whole thing to top eggs, chili, soup, salad.

Dev

This is a great recipe for frico croccante (crunchy frico) not to be confused with the other type of frico, frico di patate, which is a crisp patty of onion, potato, and Montesio, also found in northeast Italy. I always heap up the cheese but not press it down; it should melt into a crisp with a slightly gooey center that way. Helps if you use a cast-iron instead of a baking sheet, whether stovetop or in the oven.Also, I second the walnut idea - not traditional but really tasty!

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Cacio e Pepe Frico Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of cacio e pepe? ›

The secret, in addition to the chemical combination of water and Pecorino proteins to obtain a cream without lumps, lies in the flavor: whole peppercorns crushed the same day and plunged into the pan to toast releasing all their pungent aroma; the pasta whisked slowly and in a controlled way to absorb all the taste of ...

What does frico mean in Italian? ›

Frico (in original Friulian language fricò) is a traditional dish of Friuli, a historical region of northeast Italy, consisting mainly of heated cheese and, optionally, other ingredients, such as potatoes. Originally frico was prepared in the impoverished region as a way of recycling cheese rinds.

Why is cacio e pepe so hard to perfectly execute? ›

But it is extremely hard to execute well because you need to control the heat. The cheese will become stringy if you heat up your pan too much (above 70 °C or 158 °F). I tested all the methods, so you do not need to! Cacio e Pepe is rare in restaurants because it is hard to serve warm without the corn starch trick.

Why does my cacio e pepe break? ›

The trick is to toss the cheese with starch before heating it. As the starch heats up and gels, it stabilizes the cheese so it won't break. I tried the method for this Cacio e Pepe, which makes for a durable sauce that doesn't break even after raising the temperature until the sauce boils (usually a mortal sin).

Can I use parmesan instead of pecorino for cacio e pepe? ›

Opt for Parmesan: You can use Parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano, or even combine the two for a unique cheese profile. However, Parmesan isn't as salty or tangy as Pecorino Romano, so you may need to add more to get the sharpness that cacio e pepe is known for.

What is Italian slang for trashy? ›

en. trashy = schifoso.

What is the Italian word for chubby? ›

paffuto/a ⧫ grassoccio/a.

What does Peperoncino mean in Italian? ›

peperoncino : the dried, crushed flakes of any of several red hot peppers used especially in Italian cooking. a pinch of peperoncino.

How do you thicken cacio e pepe? ›

- Add a little more pasta water than you think you need (the pasta will continue to soak it up and the sauce will thicken on your plate).

Where did Anthony Bourdain have cacio e pepe? ›

The specific cacio e pepe that Bourdain loves best comes from Ristorante Roma Sparita in Rome, where the smooth, buttery, cheesy pasta is served in a bowl made of Parmesan. It looks amazing. While gushing over the pasta, Bourdain said he'd give up his first sexual experience to eat it again.

How do I make sure my cheese doesn't clump? ›

Use Corn Starch

You can coat your shredded cheese with a thin layer of cornstarch to prevent clumping. Corn starch works by absorbing excess moisture, meaning the cheese will not become sticky. It's also flavorless, so it won't affect the taste. Add 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch per 1 block of shredded cheese.

How do you make pasta not clump together? ›

Generously salt the pasta water

It can help keep the starches in your pasta from gelling together, reducing the risk of your pasta sticking. Aim to put a tablespoon or two of salt for every quart of water—which is about a quarter or half cup of salt for a pound of pasta.

How do you make cheese sauce that doesn't clump? ›

Hot liquids, like pasta water, heavy cream, melted butter, or beaten eggs, help distribute melted cheese evenly by surrounding it with heat. Since every bit of surface area is in contact with hot liquid, the cheese melts at the same rate. No clumps to be found, just a glossy, luscious sauce.

How do you Unclump cheese in pasta sauce? ›

So easy! Melt the butter over low heat, add the sift flour and stir constantly. When the mixture becomes clumped free, add some hot milk. Slowly continue to cook until it thickens.

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