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I don’t think you can be Italian without having some kind of opinion on Cacio e Pepe pasta. It’s one of those foods, like an American Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, that everyone has strong feelings about. It’s similar in its appeal to PB&J, too! Italy is known for a cuisine that takes pretty democratic ingredients: pasta, olive oil, salt, tomatoes, and in-season produce: and creates MAGIC. So many dishes that have become mega HITS on a global scale are things that are far from fancy…or expensive to make! Take Lasagna for example…or Spaghetti Pomodoro. This is one of the things that I absolutely love about Italian cooking…you can eat well on a budget. And, then, the degree to which you invest in high-quality ingredients is what can elevate that dish.
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Cacio e Pepe is a food that has always been on my radar. It’s the simplest of recipes but can have a really big impact. Spaghetti is blended with a simple and creamy sauce of salt, pepper, and parmigiano romano to create a comforting and delicious meal. It’s a simple meal, but far from boring…and any Italian has an opinion about exactly HOW you make it. I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t attempted this dish before. It’s one of those things that I prefer to eat when I find it out…but then when I do have it again, I always say to myself “WHY don’t I make this at home more?!” I had that experience a few months ago with Ian…and he revealed to me that he was fantastic at making Cacio e Pepe. I almost fell off my chair. How had we not talked about this before?! Of course, I needed to try it immediately, and as usually happens in our kitchen when my amazing (non-Italian) fiancé cooks Italian food for me…I had some tweaks to share. Any Italian I know has ways that he or she prefers certain dishes, and I’m no exception! After giving some notes, Ian absolutely killed the next recipe. It was so delicious that my kids even ate an entire bowl…and I’ve never known them to go near pepper in anything. I knew I had to share his recipe with you guys, especially because this is literally the simplest one ever (there I go redeeming myself after Ian’s absolutely scrumptious but very complicated Eggplant Parmigiana. LOL).
I can’t wait for you to try this and tell me what you think! A little note this doesn’t do great when reheated. I highly recommend enjoying warm, and immediately!
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Ingredients…
- 1/4 lb block of Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4lb block of Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 tbsp peppercorn
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 tbsp pasta water
- 1/2 box of thin spaghetti
Step 1:
Start Making the Sauce
To make the sauce, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1.5 tablespoons ground peppercorns to a cold saucepan. Turn the heat up to medium-high. When the peppercorn begins to simmer cook for one minute—peppercorns should be fragrant. Remove from heat. It’s important that the pan cools down quickly!
Step 2:
Boil, Salt and Cook
Bring your pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Use 3/4 of the water you’d normally use. We want the water to be really starchy. Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than the package requires).
Step 3:
Grate Cheese
Micro-plane cheese (70% Pecorino Parmesan, 30% Parmesan cheese) – the finer the better.
Step 4:
Finish Sauce
Once the water is starchy remove 4-5 tablespoons of the starchy water. Add 3 tablespoons to your pan with olive oil and peppercorns. Add in 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to emulsify.
Step 5:
Add pasta and cheese to sauce
Strain your pasta after it has cooked 9/10 of the way and add it to the saucepan that you made the sauce in. Add a handful of cheese to start and stir the mixture together (reserve some of the grated cheese for plating). If you need to thin the sauce use your remaining starchy water (tap water is also fine). Sprinkle the remaining on top once plated. Enjoy!
Cacio e Pepe
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 microplane zest grater
- 1 tong
Ingredients
Instructions
- To make the sauce, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1.5 tablespoons ground peppercorns to a cold saucepan. Turn the heat up to medium-high. When the peppercorns begins to simmer cook for one minute—peppercorns should be fragrant. Remove from heat. It’s important that the pan cools down quickly!
- Bring your pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Use 3/4 of the water you’d normally use. We want the water to be really starchy. Add your pasta into the boiling water and cook until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than the package requires).
- Micro-plane cheese (70% Pecorino Parmesan, 30% Parmesan cheese) - the finer the better.
- Once the water is starchy remove 4-5 tablespoons of the starchy water. Add 3 tablespoons to your pan with olive oil and peppercorns. Add in 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to emulsify.
- Strain your pasta after it has cooked 9/10 of the way and add it to the saucepan that you made the sauce in. Add a handful of cheese to start and stir the mixture together (reserve some of the grated cheese for plating). If you need to thin the sauce use your remaining starchy water (tap water is also fine). Sprinkle the remaining on top once plated. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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On the menu for the weekend!