Sometimes the cupboards are bare just as the hunger strikes. What to do?
Well, one of the finest pasta dishes is an easy process away from satisfying a salivating mouth. Cacio e pepe, or cheese and pepper, uses ingredients found in most every kitchen and turns into a creamy finished plate.
- Salt
- 1 ½ cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for finishing
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing
- ¾ pound long pasta like spaghetti
- Good olive oil
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil.
- In a bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Just before it is perfectly al dente, transfer to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir to evenly coat the pasta, adding a little olive oil and pasta water to thin the sauce, if necessary. The sauce should be creamy, not thin.
- On a plate, finish with grated cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.
This story can be found in the March/April 2022 issue of Grand Rapids Magazine. To get more stories like this delivered to your mailbox, subscribe here.
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