When I first made these crispy treats I thought they were a unique invention. Since then I’ve found various versions for them in many cookbooks. Here’s the basic recipe along with a few variations.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper lightly brushed or sprayed with extra-virgin olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup of shredded fresh Parmesan or Parmesan-reggiano in a circle. You can make your circles any size you want. Bake until melted and browned on the underside – 7 to 10 minutes. Let crisps cool then peel off parchment paper.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
They’re great to snack on, and garnish soups and salads.
Variations:
- Place cookie cutters on parchment lined and oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese inside cookie cutters. Remove cookie cutters and bake cheese as directed.
- Sprinkle over cheese before baking:
- crumbled bacon bits (real or soy)
- cayenne pepper
- crushed and dried red pepper
- freshly ground peppercorns
- sprinkle cheese overly thinly sliced ham or corned beef, bake as directed then top with lettuce or spinach leaves and roll into a tight tube as soon as you’re able to handle without burning yourself and before the cheese completely cools
