Zucchini Frico

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(424)
Notes: Read community notes

It may be daunting to imagine, but this dish is really quite simple. All you do is take some good hard cheese, grate it, spread it in a nonstick pan and let it melt until it turns golden. Montasio is traditional, but Parmesan, asiago or a young, not too salty pecorino will all work well, too, so use whatever you have. You can form frico into small individual crackers for neater serving, or you can make one large cracker the size of your pan and break it apart as you devour it. Frico on its own doesn’t need much embellishment. All it truly requires is a chilled cocktail or a glass of Italian white wine served alongside. But this one incorporates zucchini. First, I browned thin rounds of zucchini in olive oil, then I topped them with the cheese and let them cook. It took only five minutes, plus another minute or so to let the cheese crisp up after I turned it out of the pan.

Featured in: A Little Zucchini for Your Grated Cheese

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 hors d'oeuvres servings

Olive oil, for brushing
1medium Romanesco zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
4ounces Parmesan, grated medium-fine (about 1 cup)
Fresh basil leaves
Cracked black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Brush a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium-high until hot. Arrange half the zucchini rounds in a single layer, allowing about an inch of space between them. Cook, without moving them, until undersides are dark golden, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden, about 2 minutes more.
Step 2
Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over zucchini and into the spaces between it. Cook, without moving, until cheese looks lacy and translucent, and no longer sticks to the pan, about 5 minutes. Tip the skillet and using a spatula, gently help slide the frico in one piece onto a large plate. Sprinkle with torn basil and finish with pepper. Repeat with remaining zucchini and cheese. Break into pieces to serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5

424 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

jeanne cunningham5 years ago

I just made this in my oven on parchment paper using the convection roast setting at 425 and flipped 1/2 way through. Took a little longer-10-12 minutes per side and 3 minutes for the cheese step. Zucchini and basil from my garden and some of each of the label-less but good grating cheeses in my pantry. Yum

Hermann Schmitt6 years ago

I did it in the oven, works well and is somewhat easier to prepare. A delicious starter, many thanks.

Kathleen C6 years ago

This is a wonderfully tasty recipe, just be sure to pay attention to the instructions and not over do the oil.

Gerry4 years ago

Fun, easy. I used a well-seasoned cast iron pan and it worked out fine. I ate standing up at the stove—too good to walk all the way over to the dining table to consume it.

jpm6 years ago

Need to cook long enough to make it crispy.

Deborah6 years ago

I add some garlic to the oi at the beginning. Today I added some sliced chile & threw an egg on top towards the end, reduced heat & covered for a couple minutes. Tasty (& low carb) breakfast!

REBECCA CHERRY6 years ago

Nothing that special but, it was a great addition to the fettucinni with homemade marinara, fresh mozzarella, and basil. the recipe suggests "breaking into pieces" but my frico didn't harden enough to be broken, just separated.

Vivienne6 years ago

Great recipe!

Kathryn1 year ago

Delish. Didn’t bother with rounds, cut the zucchini into slices. I’ll try the oven next time but it was easy enough on the cooktop.

additions1 year ago

Added 3 garlic cloves, bacon and Italian kale

Delaney2 years ago

This was a big mess for me! The zucchini almost burned while I was waiting for the cheese to melt, and the cheese stuck to the nonstick pan. I had to scrape it off with a flexible metal spatula; it wouldn’t budge for anything rubber or wood.

13360man2 years ago

I salted the zucchini and waited about 15 minutes before patting dry with paper towels. Then I prepared as directed. The crispiness was enhanced.

Kim2 years ago

took 5 min to get one side golden, took 10 seconds to burn the cheese

maureen2 years ago

Probably helps to not grate the cheese too finely—burns quickly.

maureen2 years ago

Medium high heat way too high in my cast iron skillet. Zucchini browned okay but cheese started to burn immediately. Try the oven next time.

PAH3 years ago

The first time I made this I used zucchini and eggplant from my garden. The next time I made this I added peppers. Then I did a green bean and leek frico. What can I say...I'm an addict. Everyone I have served this to just goes into a trance. Make it.

Anne3 years ago

What happens if you cook the zucchini then put the cheese on the bottom and layer cooked zucchini on top? More frico?

Janet4 years ago

Perfect pandemic food! Simple, healthy and titillates the taste buds.

Allyson4 years ago

Simple and good, so no complaints. Zucchini turned out nice and brown. The Parmesan didn't crisp up much, but that was likely because my zucchini rounds were too close together for much of the cheese to be directly on the skillet. Good recipe though, would make again.

Gerry4 years ago

Fun, easy. I used a well-seasoned cast iron pan and it worked out fine. I ate standing up at the stove—too good to walk all the way over to the dining table to consume it.

Nick5 years ago

D this be done in a microwave?

jeanne cunningham5 years ago

jpm6 years ago

Need to cook long enough to make it crispy.

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