Called frico, these crisp cracker cups are made entirely of melted cheese. They’re easy to make and can elevate your cheese platter, make a beautiful salad holder, or just be a fun snack. It’s as simple as making mounds of cheese on a sheet tray and baking until melted and lightly browned. I placed the hot lacy crackers in an empty muffin tin to create a perfect serving bowl. I filled my cups with a fresh radish and cucumber salad, dressed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette. You’ll find the recipe for the frico, radish salad, and vinaigrette in my blog post, or you can create your own filling. Give it a try!
Ingredients
Frico (Cheese) Cups
- 1 heaping cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grate using the large holes on a rasp-style grater
Radish and Cucumber Salad
- 1 medium English cucumber diced
- 1 medium tomato seeded and diced
- 4-5 small multicolored radishes trimmed and diced
- 1 tablespoon course-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon shallot minced
- 1 scant teaspoon honey
- 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-vigin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves cut into long, thin strips (chiffonade)
Servings: cups
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking sheet (silpat). Mound the cheese in four even piles about 1/4 cup for each, using your finger to spread the cheese out into 4-inch (in diameter) circles. Bake the cheese until it's melted, bubbling and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few seconds. Using a thin spatula, slide them off the baking sheet. Using an empty muffin tray, fill the tin with the warm cheese. Let the frico cool in the muffin tin, they will take on the shape of cups.
- Whisk together the mustard, shallot, honey and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow stream while whisking to emulsify the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the cut vegetables with the salad dressing and toss to coat. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Fill each frico cup with the salad and serve.
