Some things look so fancy you just leave it to the chefs. Not in this case! Don’t be intimidated by how cool these Parmesan crisps look, and how versatile they are. You can break them up for a more natural look, or cut them while warm to get clean shapes and lines. You can roll them into breadstick shapes or further cut those when cooled into pinwheels. These are a tasty way to add lots of flavor with an economical, fast and easy (and extremely appealing) way.

Here’s what you do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F
2. Line a cookie sheet or pizza pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat
3. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese in an even layer in any size or shape you’d like to start with (and experiment with)
4. Bake for 4-7 minutes, depending on your oven. Note that is fun to watch the cheese’s “behavior” as it bubbles and curls and browns. The browner it gets, the crispier it will be and the less time you’ll have to work with it for shaping and cutting.
5. Allow your cheese to cool, but of course, feel free to taste and sample the flexibility for cutting and shaping for later reference.
6. Break, cut, roll or otherwise sculpt your cheese.

The more sparse your layer of cheese, the lacier it will look, so be sure to try several on one pan to get the idea of how you want yours to look, and how much you can work with it as it cools.

These are absolutely delicious on top of giving you the bang for your buck for adding a chef-like touch to your presentation.