Global Holiday Recipe: Emilio's Parmigiano-Reggiano Frico Cornucopias

Holiday Feature

Emilio's Parmigiano-Reggiano
Frico Cornucopias

This recipe was inspired by Lidia Bastianich, of the restaurant Felidia in New York. Her original uses Montasio cheese, but Chef Pete Clements at Emilio's Ristorante in Santa Barbara makes a Parmigiano version. If your local cookware store doesn't have cone-shaped cream-horn molds, you can make a stacked Napoleon. Simply cut 3-inch squares from the melted Parmigiano and rebake them flat. Layer three of the squares with the spinach salad.

2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 cups julienned fresh spinach
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut julienne
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly onto the prepared pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted into one solid piece. Let cool slightly. While still warm, working quickly, cut the cheese into 6-inch squares and wrap each around a cone-shaped cream-horn mold.

Line the baking sheet with fresh paper. Place the molds upright on the pan and return to the oven to crisp for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Do not brown or the cheese will be bitter. Let the cones cool on the pan until ready to serve.

Just before serving, toss together the spinach, red pepper, basil, and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and toss to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff loosely into Parmigiano-Reggiano cones with a fork. Serve at once. Serves 6.

From:
Parmigiano!
by Pamela Sheldon Johns
1997, Ten Speed Press
$17.95
Reprinted by permission