Recipe

West Country fricò

In Friuli, when you visit wine producers, restaurants and homes, fricò is often passed around as a nibble with an aperitivo or a glass of wine before a meal. Fricò is little more than local, flavourful Montasio cheese, gently fried in a skillet until it melts and goes crispy. Sometimes a little onion or potato might be added, but in its purest form, it's simply fried cheese. Would this work with a tasty mature West Country cheddar from Country Cheeses, I wondered? Yes, it does! Here is what to do:

About 250 g mature West Country cheddar (no, not the magnificent Montgomerie - use one of the less expensive mature block cheddars that Gary of Country Cheeses can recommend)

Grate the cheese coarsley. Heat up a non-stick frying pan or skillet. Add the cheese and press down with a spatula to make a sort of pancake. Fry gently (don't let the cheese burn). When it begins to go crispy on the bottom, heat the top gently under a grill until just brown and bubbling. Allow to cool, blot off any excess oil, and then shatter into pieces to pass around with glasses of fresh, chilled white wine.

Wine: Az Ag Banear Pinot Grigio del Grave di Friuli