Frico Friabile: The Crispy Montasio Recipe from Friuli

This easy recipe from Friuli Venezia Giulia has only one ingredient: Montasio cheese. Fresh, semi-aged and aged varieties all work. The discs are flexible when warm and crisp up as they cool. Making frico is a lesson in transforming humble ingredients into something special, a core component of cucina povera.

Ingredients for 8 people

• 1 cup grated Montasio cheese

How to make Crispy Frico Friabile

1. Heat a nonstick griddle or cast-iron pan (or coat another pan very lightly with olive oil) and sprinkle about 1 tablespoon grated Montasio in a thin circle.
2. Cook until crisp and golden, then flip and cook the other side, about 5 minutes total. Repeat with the remaining cheese.

Tips

Shape it

While the discs are warm, you can shape them into little tubes, cups or baskets. They will keep the shape as they cool.

Add flavor

Flavor the frico with all kinds of herbs or minced pancetta or prosciutto.