Similar Content to: Gratte-Paille Cheese

Crispy and brittle, this food item is a unique way to provide a small serving of oven baked cheese for a snack or an appetizer. Referred to as a Frico in Italian kitchens, the Cheese Crisp can be baked in the shape of a thin wafer or made into small nest-like baskets formed from coarsely grated firm to hard cheese.

Not all types of cheese work well to create Cheese Crisps. However, there are several cheeses that melt and form crisps very easily which are typically readily available in stores. Soft cheeses such as feta or mozzerella are not good cheeses for making Cheese Crisps. Varieties most often considered to be the best for making Crisps include Asiago, Kefalotiri, Parmesan-Reggiano, or Montasio. A semi-firm to hard grating cheese most often works best. Kefalotiri, which is a Greek cheese made from sheep and goat's milk, is a semi-firm cheese. When sliced into small cubes to be oven baked, the Kefalotiri cheese forms an irregular-shaped wafer with many holes as it melts and spreads out on the baking sheet. It is always best to prepare a test batch of the cheese selected in order to insure the desired results will be achieved. To add to the flavor of the cheese, ingredients such a bits of pepperoni or dried bacon bits, seasonings, and herbs are commonly added prior to melting or when the Crisp is still hot.

Cheese Crisp wafers can be served as appetizers or served on soups and salads as a garnish. The basket-shaped Cheese Crisps can be made as food holders or wraps that contain additional ingredients such as fruit, dips, salad ingredients, jams, sauces, or any types of spreads that enhance the flavors.