Parmesan Crisps

These are the sort of little nibbles that are wonderfully simple, but feel properly special when you bring them to the table. Made with nothing more than freshly grated Parmesan and a few flavourful toppings, they bake into crisp, golden rounds with an irresistible cheesy crunch. The fennel seeds add a gentle warmth and subtle aniseed note, the chilli flakes bring a little kick, and the black olive gives a deep, savoury edge that works beautifully with the salty cheese. They’re perfect for serving with drinks, adding to a cheeseboard, or even using as a crunchy garnish for soups and salads when you want to give a dish something a bit extra.

Timings:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 8–10 minutes

Serves: Makes 10–12 crisps

Ingredients:

• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• Fennel seeds

• Chilli flakes

• Black olives, dehydrated or finely grated

  
  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Place a cookie cutter onto the tray and fill it with a generous amount of grated Parmesan.

3. Gently lift the cutter away to leave a neat round of cheese.

4. Repeat until you have as many crisps as you’d like, leaving a little space between each one.

5. Top each round with a pinch of fennel seeds, a sprinkle of chilli flakes, or a little finely grated black olive.

6. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

7. Remove from the oven and leave the crisps to cool on the tray.

8. Once cooled and crisp, carefully lift them from the parchment and serve.

   
   

Chef’s Tip:

Let the crisps cool completely on the tray before moving them, as that’s when they firm up and develop their full crunch. They’re also brilliant made in small batches with different toppings, so you can serve a few different flavours on the same platter.