Cacio E Pepe E Zucca Recipes

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Add the pasta and cook until not quite al dente and still quite chewy, 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When melted, add the garlic and 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer. Grind in a generous amount of pepper. Add the pasta and remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir to combine and let the pasta start to simmer. Begin adding the Parmesan a handful at a time, tossing the pasta with each addition and adding more pepper if desired. Remove from the heat and continue to toss the pasta until well coated, thinning with the extra pasta water if needed. Taste and add more pepper if desired. Divide among bowls and garnish with the parsley. Serve with more Parmesan on the side.

CACIO E PEPE FRITTERS

Steps:

• Combine the olive oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until just starting to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Put the spaghetti in a medium bowl and pour the olive oil mixture over the top. Mix to combine and set aside.
• Combine the flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, the baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg yolks. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Whisk until the batter is well combined (there will still be some small lumps).
• Add the spaghetti, pecorino and mozzarella to the batter. Mix well with a rubber spatula.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Fill a large skillet with about 1/2 inch olive oil and heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Working in batches, scoop the spaghetti mixture into the skillet (about 2 tablespoons per fritter); flatten slightly with a metal spatula. Fry the fritters, flipping once, until golden brown and warmed through, about 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining fritters. Top with more pecorino before serving.

CACIO E PEPE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, black pepper and salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until it is in even pieces about the size of a pea. Stir in 1 cup Pecorino-Romano, then gently stir the in the milk with a fork to make a loose dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface. Pat into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Pat into an 8-by-5-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cutter to make 6 biscuits. Press together the scraps of dough, cut 2 more biscuits, and put all of them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with the cream, then sprinkle them equally with the remaining 2 tablespoons Pecorino-Romano and a pinch of black pepper. Bake until puffed and golden brown on top, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before serving.

CACIO E PEPE MUSHROOM GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Put 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan or high-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat and immediately add the gnocchi. Cover and cook until tender.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, olive oil and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Add the Parmesan and mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes, returning to low heat if needed. Top with the chives and drizzle with more olive oil. Serve with Parmesan on the side.

CACIO E PEPE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam from the butter subsides. Add the pepper and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the pasta and up to 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, tossing to coat. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and continue to cook, tossing, until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well coated, about 2 minutes. Add a little more of the cooking liquid to loosen, if necessary. Season with salt and divide among 4 bowls. Serve with additional Parmesan and pepper.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• In a pan just wide enough to hold the pasta, place enough water to fill the pan 1 inch from the bottom. Season the water with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Spread the pasta in the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Allow the pasta water to reduce; do not add more, as you want the starchy water to be minimal when the remaining ingredients are added.
• Meanwhile, add the coarse black pepper to a separate small pan over medium heat. Toast a minute or two until fragrant.
• Once the pasta is al dente and the pasta water has reduced so only a slight coating remains at the bottom of the pan, turn off the heat and add the toasted ground black pepper and Pecorino-Romano. Stir and toss vigorously until both ingredients are well incorporated into the pasta. Toss in the olive oil and season with salt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and garnish with more black pepper, Pecorino-Romano and extra-virgin olive oil.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large 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. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
• Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta for 2 mins less than pack instructions state, in salted boiling water. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium frying pan over a low heat, then add the ground black pepper and toast for a few minutes.
• Drain the pasta, keeping 200ml of the pasta water. Tip the pasta and 100ml of the pasta water into the pan with the butter and pepper. Toss briefly, then scatter over the parmesan evenly, but don't stir - wait for the cheese to melt for 30 seconds, then once melted, toss everything well, and stir together. This prevents the cheese from clumping or going stringy and makes a smooth, shiny sauce. Add a splash more pasta water if you need to, to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Serve immediately with a good grating of black pepper.