Parmesan crisps are a near-zero-carb keto cracker made from two ingredients and a microwave, the Italian frico sped up. Grated parmesan melts into a lacy, crunchy round that puts both bread crumbs and crackers to shame, and below is the timing and parchment trick that keeps them crisp instead of rubbery.
Ok these have to be by far the easiest things you will ever cook and they taste amazing. I'm continually learning new techniques to cooking Low Carb and this was one of those "why didn't I think of that?" moments. Parmesan cheese, won't just put your bread crumbs to shame, but also your crackers. Yep that's right, you can make parmesan crisps with just fresh grated parmesan cheese and a microwave. It's that easy! I like to add a hint of taco seasoning to make these crisps the perfect complement to a bowl of guacamole. I love finding easy Low Carb snacks like this. If you have any great Low Carb tricks please share.
The Italian frico, sped up
What I stumbled into has a name and a long history. In Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the north of Italy, cooks have baked and fried grated cheese into a lacy crisp called frico for generations, and German keto kitchens make the same thing as Kasechips. The microwave just gets you there in two minutes. Two things keep them crisp: lay them on parchment so they release cleanly instead of welding to the plate, and blot the rendered grease the moment they come out, since grease left on is what leaves them soft and bendy. Freshly grated parmesan crisps better than pre-shredded, whose anti-caking starch melts patchy.
What to do with them
A parmesan crisp is a cracker, a chip, and a garnish all at once. The taco seasoning version is built for guacamole, but a plain one scoops black olive dip or rides alongside salami chips for two textures on a board. Parmesan is the workhorse of my keto cheese guide, and this is the first thing I do with it.
Sources
USDA FoodData Central, nutrient reference for parmesan cheese.
Sugarfreechic test kitchen, low-carb cracker notes.
