Ciao, Italia
Italy. The land of classic romance, pressed olives and the birthplace of pasta. Today’s blog post is all about one of Italy’s greatest pasta dishes, Cacio e Pepe which literally translates to “cheese and pepper.” Before we dive into this simple recipe, a backstory (because what recipe post doesn’t make you read one before getting to the instructions?). My family originated from the coast city of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, Italy. Back in the 1800’s, some of the family decided to migrate to America while the rest stayed behind living the coastal Italian life we all dream of.
Despite the move our roots are still very much grounded in our Italian heritage. We are always on the search for the richest olive oils, freshest salad ingredients and, of course, the boldest pasta dishes. Now, I am fan of the word “bold” being used in its fullest context, but for today’s post bold doesn’t mean pomp and circumstance, today it means making a statement through simple means. So, grab your best olive oil, that dreamy pecorino Romano, turn on Dean Martin’s “On That Evening in Roma” and let’s dive into the cheesy magic that is Cacio e Pepe!
What You’ll Need:
6 oz of bucatini pasta
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Season a pot of water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add pasta, stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 9-12 minutes or until al dente. Keep 3/4 cup of the pasta water and strain the rest.
Meanwhile, get 2 tbsp of butter melting over med-high heat in a Dutch over or skillet. Once melted, add cracked pepper and stir in the pan until fragrant and toasted, about 1 minute.
Add 1/2 of your saved pasta water to the butter and bring it to a simmer. Now, you can toss in the bucatini and the rest of the butter and reduce the heat of the pan to low. Slowly, fold in the parmesan, stirring and tossing with tongs, until melted and evenly coating the pasta. Remove from the heat and add in the pecorino just as you did the parmesan. (If you feel like the pasta is too dry, try adding another splash or two of the saved pasta water and toss with tongs).
Transfer to warm pasta serving bowls and top with a little more freshly ground pepper and enjoy!
But don’t stop here. Keep scrolling for an added tip…
Now that you’ve learned how to make the dreamiest and most simplistic Italian classic, I’m going to add in the details for the best salad to accompany this meal.
Grab some fresh peaches. Wash and cube them. Next, add washed arugula to a serving platter. Mix in the peaches with the arugula and place in fresh prosciutto all throughout the plate. Drizzle with a really good balsamic reduction, maybe a bit of cracked pepper and there you have it! Ya’ll, when I say this is the best salad I have ever had I absolutely mean it. The saltiness of the prosciutto paired with the acid of the balsamic reduction and the sweetness of the peaches…..sigh, truly nothing like it. Well, there you have it guys! A simple Italian classic heading to a kitchen near you. Get out there, hit up your favorite market, get in the kitchen and COOK! Like my great grandmother always said, “Mangiare!”
Happy Cooking,
xo,
Kaleigh
