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 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.

What is cacio e pepe sauce made of? ›

Traditionally, cacio e pepe (pronounced: kaa-chee-ow ee peh-pay) is made with just three ingredients: aged pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and pasta, usually spaghetti; plus the starchy water from cooking the noodles. You don't have to go to Rome to enjoy cacio e pepe.

How do I make sure cacio e pepe doesn't clump? ›

Grating the cheese very finely on a Microplane instead of shredding it helps it incorporate more smoothly. Finishing the pasta and cheese in a separate skillet ensures that the cheese doesn't clump up from the residual heat in the pasta pan.

What makes cacio e pepe so good? ›

Which is what makes cacio e pepe, the classic Roman pasta dish comprised of nothing more than (plenty of) grated Pecorino, (lots of) freshly cracked black pepper, and a splash of pasta water so damn special: Give those two the mic, and they can really sing.

What is Italian slang for trashy? ›

en. trashy = schifoso.

What is the Italian word for chubby? ›

paffuto/a ⧫ grassoccio/a.

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

This results in water that beautifully emulsifies with the cheese and butter to create the extra creamy, rich sauce. The cheese: many recipes call for Pecorino Romano OR Parmesan but authentic Cacio e Pepe is always made with Pecorino Romano (it is literally in the name!) because it is 3X more flavorful! Flavor.

What pasta shape is best for cacio e pepe? ›

Spaghetti: Cacio e Pepe is traditionally made with some kind of long pasta (noodle); I like to use spaghetti but I've also seen it with bucatini, linguine, fettuccine, and even tagliatelle. You can use either dry or fresh pasta.

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).

Why is cacio e pepe so hard to make? ›

What Makes Cacio e Pepe So Difficult? Cacio e pepe should have a very smooth, creamy sauce that coats the pasta in velvety goodness. This can be tricky to achieve, and many cooks find that the pecorino cheese clumps together in gooey, sticky gobs and leaves the pasta in a wet, peppery mess.

What pairs best with cacio e pepe? ›

Look no further than Chianti Classico for a classic red pairing. While most people associate this wine with flavorful meats like Florentine steak, the sharpness of the cacio e pepe holds its own and makes Chianti an unexpected accompaniment.

What does cacio e pepe mean in Italian? ›

Cacio e pepe means 'cheese and pepper' in several central Italian dialects. In keeping with its name, the dish contains grated pecorino romano and black pepper, together with tonnarelli or spaghetti.

Why is cacio e pepe so salty? ›

Pecorino Romano basically makes up the whole sauce, and y'all – that cheese is SALTY. So, we need to watch how much salt we go adding into the pasta water.

What does cacio mean in Italian? ›

noun. [ masculine ] /'katʃo/ (formaggio) cheese.

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.

What is awesome in Italian slang? ›

What is Awesome Slang for Italian? There are several unique Italian slang words that could be called “awesome”, including: “Figo” is a word often used to describe something or someone as cool or impressive. “Magari” is a term used to express hope or wishful thinking.

What does tasty mean in Italy? ›

(food) saporito/a ⧫ gustoso/a. (dish, meal) succulento/a.

What are sandwiches called in Italian? ›

Panini is an Italian word, the plural form of panino, and are Italian sandwiches. Panini are usually prepared on a bread roll or rustic bread.

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