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Crispy Parmesan Frico Cups with Pear and Blue Cheese

Lacy baked Parmesan turns into a crisp edible cup for fresh pear, blue cheese, and walnuts, with each small bite balanced toward savory cheese.

Golden lacy Parmesan cups hold diced pear, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts on a small serving plate.

These little frico cups pair a salty, crisp shell with cool pear and a modest amount of blue cheese. The key is to shape the cheese while it is still flexible and fill only after the cups have cooled completely.

Let the cheese form its own lace

Finely grated Parmesan melts into a connected round while its edges open into a delicate lace. Spread the shreds thinly and evenly; a thick center will stay chewy while the perimeter overbrowns.

Shape with a short window

The rounds are easiest to bend once their bubbling settles but before they cool and become brittle. Use a thin spatula to lift each one, then wear heatproof gloves as you settle it over an inverted well.

A golden Parmesan round is lifted from parchment beside an inverted mini-muffin pan used to shape frico cups. — A golden Parmesan round is lifted from parchment and shaped over an inverted well while still flexible.

Keep the filling light

Small pear dice settle neatly into each cup and give a fresh contrast to the cheese. Use just enough blue cheese to add a tangy accent, then finish with walnuts for a toasted crunch without hiding the Parmesan.

Protect the crisp shell

Cool the cups fully before filling, since residual warmth can trap moisture. Toss the pear immediately before assembling and serve the bites promptly; if a round stiffens during shaping, briefly warm it until pliable again.

A close view shows the crisp lacy edge of a Parmesan cup around pear, blue cheese, and walnuts. — A crisp frico cup shows its lacy edge around pear, blue cheese, and toasted walnut.

Prepare the components ahead

The empty cups can be made before guests arrive and held in an airtight container once fully cool. Keep the pear, cheese, and walnuts separate until the last moment so each appetizer reaches the table crisp.

Crispy Parmesan Frico Cups with Pear and Blue Cheese

16 amuse-bouche portions

53 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp neutral oil
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces
• 1 medium firm-ripe pear
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Method

Heat the oven and prepare the mold
Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment; set an inverted mini-muffin pan nearby and wipe the backs of its wells with the neutral oil.
Look for: The oven is fully heated and the inverted wells have a barely visible sheen of oil.
Toast the walnuts
Toast the walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant and lightly browned; transfer them to a plate to cool, then chop into small pieces.
Look for: The walnuts smell nutty and show a few golden edges without dark spots.
Prepare the pear
Core the firm-ripe pear and cut it into small, even dice about 1/4 inch across; keep the pieces covered and dry until assembly so the cups stay crisp.
Look for: The pear pieces are small enough to sit neatly in a one-bite cup.
Portion the Parmesan
Spoon the finely grated Parmesan into 16 portions of 2 tablespoons each, keeping the shreds loose so they melt into lacy rounds rather than dense crackers.
Look for: Each portion is fluffy and evenly measured, with no compacted clumps.
Bake the frico rounds
Arrange 8 portions on the parchment-lined sheet, about 3 inches apart, and spread each into a thin 3-inch round. Bake one sheet at a time for 6 to 8 minutes, rotating once, until the centers bubble and the edges are golden; repeat with the remaining portions.
Look for: The frico is bubbling across the center and the outer lace is golden, not dark brown.
Shape while warm
After each tray comes out, wait about 20 to 30 seconds for bubbling to settle, then loosen a round with a thin spatula and drape it over an oiled inverted well. Wearing heatproof gloves, gently coax the edges down; if a round stiffens, return it to the oven for 20 seconds before shaping.
Look for: A warm round bends without cracking and forms a shallow cup around the well.
Cool the cups
Leave each shaped round undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until firm, then lift it from the mold and cool completely on a rack before filling.
Look for: The cups feel rigid and crisp rather than warm or flexible.
Season the pear
Just before serving, toss the diced pear with the lemon juice and black pepper until lightly coated; keep the mixture loose and do not let juice pool in the bowl.
Look for: The pear looks lightly glossed, not wet, and the pepper is evenly scattered.
Fill and serve
Spoon a small mound of pear into each crisp cup, add a little crumbled blue cheese, and finish with toasted walnut pieces so Parmesan remains the dominant flavor. Serve immediately after filling.
Look for: Each cup holds a neat bite-sized filling without bending or spilling.