Cacio e Pepe Crisps

Cacio e Pepe Crisps are the most highly addictive snack ever. Perfect as a side for holiday dips or crumbled atop salads or soups, these 2-ingredient wonders take minutes to put together and pack a big flavorful punch!

Cheese and pepper. Who knew two everyday ingredients could pack such a flavorful punch and bring simple pasta, bread, or potatoes to a new level?! First of all, you’re welcome for introducing you to your newest obsession. Second, I’m sorry for introducing you to your newest obsession 🙂 These crisps are just silly good, and too easy to make to ignore. You have cheese? You have pepper? You have an oven?

 

Then you have crisps. DONE AND DONE.

 

So did I ever tell you guys about Halloween? It was almost 90 degrees here in central Arkansas, which meant that our recycled Cookie Monster costume we were using for A made him sweat like crazy. The thing is 100% fleece, full-body, with a hood. At our church’s festival he was a sweaty mess to the point that we just stripped him down to a onsie and called it a day. The next day on Halloween it was even hotter, and I just couldn’t stomach making him miserable for another night.

 

Trick-or-treating was fast approaching and at the last minute I had an idea for an outfit that could make the little guy more comfortable: a Risky Business-inspired white dress shirt, socks, and sunglesses! Y’all, I haven’t even seen the movie but that scene is so iconic that I just couldn’t say no. My dude was infinitely more comfortable and I died over and over again at how adorable he was!

 

I’m getting to the part about cacio e pepe crisps, I promise!

 

That night we decided to eat a quick dinner at Panera Bread before hitting the hayride. I ordered my standard lately, the kale Caesar salad with chicken, and then quickly had to hoard my Parmesan crisps from my husband and kids. Those things are so addictive! Not to mention perfect a Caesar salad. Or dipping into delicious things (HELLO SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP). Or just eating by themselves!

 

I knew I could easily make them at home, but decided that I would love to my own cacio e pepe spin on them. Lots of freshly ground black pepper would spice these goodies up perfectly! And you know what? They are perfectly spicy-smooth-salty-awesome. I highly recommend this addiction!

CACIO E PEPE CRISPS

Makes about 30 crisps

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Trust me, you will want parchment for this one; a silicon mat works OK too but parchment is the better of the two.
3. Using a tablespoon scoop even spoonfuls of the Parmesan cheese onto the baking sheets, about 1-2 inches apart. Try to make the mounds even and flat-ish for even baking.
4. Sprinkle each mound of cheese with freshly ground black pepper. I just used my peppermill over each one and eyeballed it – by it was probably about 1/8 teaspoon each (or a hefty pinch).
5. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes until browned.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
7. Enjoy!

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