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.

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!

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.

Aunticky

These are a staple in low-carb and keto households.

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)!

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!

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.

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 is the secret of cacio e pepe? ›

Tips for Making Cacio e Pepe

Let the pasta cool slightly—Ripping hot pasta plus finely shredded or grated cheese inevitably yields a clumpy sauce. Letting the pasta cool for 2 minutes before tossing ensures a perfectly creamy sauce.

Why is cacio e pepe so hard to perfectly execute? ›

But it is extremely hard to execute well because you need to control the heat. The cheese will become stringy if you heat up your pan too much (above 70 °C or 158 °F). I tested all the methods, so you do not need to! Cacio e Pepe is rare in restaurants because it is hard to serve warm without the corn starch trick.

Why is my cacio e pepe sauce not combining? ›

Cacio e Pepe Troubleshooting: Emulsifying the sauce
  1. The Pecorino Romano is very finely grated. ...
  2. The pasta water and pasta can't be too hot when adding to the cheese. ...
  3. I'm using less water than I usually would so there is more starch to aid in emulsification.
Apr 11, 2022

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).

Can I use Parmesan instead of pecorino for cacio e pepe? ›

Cheese– Aged Pecorino Romano is a MUST when making Cacio e Pepe. It is made from sheep's milk and has a strong and tangy flavor. I also use Parmesan cheese because I like the flavor of the two cheeses together. If you want to use ALL Pecorino Romano, you can, but personally I like the mix of both cheeses.

Why isn't my cacio e pepe creamy? ›

Elbow grease. The creaminess of Italian pasta dishes is usually the result of stirring. Add your pasta to the sauce or condiment - cacio e pepe in your case - with some of the water the pasta boiled in. Stir as you never stirred before and the result will be creamy.

What is the best pasta for cacio e pepe? ›

1. Pick a curved pasta shape that'll grab hold of the sauce. Customarily, Cacio e Pepe is made with hand-made tonnarelli pasta, which is about double the thickness of classic spaghetti.

What pasta shape is best for cacio e pepe? ›

Spaghetti is the traditional pasta for cacio e pepe, but even Roman establishments now use popular shapes such as rigatoni, bucatini, and thick, square-cut noodles called tonnarelli. Use a good quality brand that cooks evenly and retains its al dente bite.

How to grate cheese for cacio e pepe? ›

Grate Pecorino Cheese

The cheese will become the sauce, so it's crucial it is finely grated – too thick and the sauce can become lumpy. Finely grate the cheese with a microplane into a bowl. Add the grated cheese to the pan with the coarse ground black pepper – note: the heat should be turned OFF.

What is a good substitute for cacio e pepe cheese? ›

Pecorino Romano is a hard, Italian sheep's milk cheese. It has sharp, rich nutty flavor, making it the perfect cheese for this simple pasta dish. If you don't have it or can't find it Parmigiano-Reggiano is a totally acceptable alternative.

Should cacio e pepe be salty? ›

But when we're learning How to Make Authentic Roman Cacio e Pepe, we need to take care not to get crazy with the salting of things. Pecorino Romano basically makes up the whole sauce, and y'all – that cheese is SALTY.

Why does my cheese clump in cacio e pepe? ›

That said, as simple as the cacio e pepe ingredient list may be, this dish is famously finicky when it comes to technique. If the cheese is overheated or the starchy pasta water isn't emulsified properly, the sauce can turn into a sticky, clumpy mess, which I can vouch from experience is always such a tragedy.

Why do cacio e pepe go stringy? ›

Another culprit of clumping cacio e pepe is the pasta water. Starch in the pasta water is what allows the sauce to mix with the cheese and pepper to become a hom*ogenous pasta sauce. So if you add too much water to the pasta, it thins out the starch in the water and won't allow the sauce to create an emulsion.

What are the ingredients in Trader Joe's spaghetti cacio e pepe? ›

INGREDIENTS: WATER, DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA, PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE (SHIP'S MILK, SALT, ANIMAL RENNET, CHEESE CULTURES), MILK, WHEAT FLOUR, CREAM, BUTTER (MILK, NATURAL FLAVOR), GROUND BLACK PEPPER, SALT.

What is cacio e pepe sauce made of? ›

Like many of the Eternal City's best dishes, a good cacio e pepe recipe is about simplicity. Classic versions call for just pasta, salted water, freshly ground pepper, and Pecorino Romano, a Roman sheep's milk cheese.

What are the ingredients in Trader Joe's cacio e pepe? ›

Ingredients. WATER, DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA, PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE (SHIP'S MILK, SALT, ANIMAL RENNET, CHEESE CULTURES), MILK, WHEAT FLOUR, CREAM, BUTTER (MILK, NATURAL FLAVOR), GROUND BLACK PEPPER, SALT. Find out how your wellness data and product content can elevate the customer experience and convert more shoppers!

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