Frico
Alternative names | Cheese crisp |
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Type | Garnish |
Place of origin | Italy |
Region or state | Friuli |
Main ingredients | Cheese, flour |
Cookbook: Frico, Fricò Media: Frico, Fricò |
Frico (in original friulian language fricò) is a typical dish of Friuli and similar to another Alpine dish, Rösti, which consists of a wafer of shredded cheese and potatoes, then heated by baking or frying until crisp. The mixture becomes malleable during cooking. To prepare frico you need higher-fat hard cheeses like Montasio or Asiago. Originally when Friuli was a more impoverished country, frico was used to recycle cheese rinds.[1] Frico is often used as garnish for soups or stews.
Fricos are not difficult to make [2] and during the cooking process become malleable so it is possible to make baskets or bowls in which suitable foods can be served.[3]
Another way to prepare frico consists in cooking diced potatoes in a large flat pan with little oil and onions, adding water now and then. When the potatoes are tender, Montasio or another 3 months old cheese is diced and added. The cheese will melt within the potatoes and the frico must be cooked and turned to obtain a crispy, golden surface on both sides. Slice and serve it with polenta and red wine.