Recipe: Cheddar Walnut Crisps

the appetizer:

Cheddar Walnut Crisps, a variation of the Italian appetizer frico, are easy to make. From The 150 Best American Recipes.

Cheddar Walnut Crisps

SOURCE Sainsbury's Magazine
COOK Lorna Wing
Makes about 60 crisps

Of all the variations we've seen on the frico—the crispy cheese wafer from the Friuli region of Italy—this version, from ace food writer Lorna Wing, is our favorite. And it's simplicity itself: the cheeses can be quickly grated in a food processor, they are ones you usually have on hand, a batch can be made in less than 10 minutes, and the crisps can be made up to 4 days ahead. The only trick is to use parchment paper, available in most supermarkets.

2-1/2 ounces aged cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
2-1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1-1/4 cups)
2 ounces walnuts, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle level. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the cheeses in a small bowl. Drop the mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch between them. Flatten the cheese mixture with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top of each cheese circle with a little of the chopped nuts and thyme.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 5 minutes, or until the crisps are bubbling and the edges are golden brown. Let stand for several minutes, then slide off the paper with a spatula. Blot the crisps gently with paper towels and serve at room temperature.

Note From Our Test Kitchen

Store the crisps layered with parchment paper in an airtight tin.

Buy the Book

from:
The 150 Best American Recipes
Indispensable Dishes from Legendary Chefs
and Undiscovered Cooks
by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens
Houghton Mifflin
Hardcover, full-color photographs throughout
368 pages; $30.00
ISBN: 0618718656
Recipe reprinted by permission.