Cacio E Pepe Gnocco Fritto Recipes

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 GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until easily pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and pass through a ricer onto a clean surface in a thin layer (do not mound the riced potatoes). Let cool completely, at least 10 minutes.
• Combine 1 teaspoon salt, the finely ground pepper and the nutmeg in a small bowl; sprinkle over the riced potatoes. Drizzle the beaten egg over the potatoes, then sprinkle with 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup pecorino. Chop the potato mixture with a bench scraper, turning the mixture onto itself until it just starts to come together. Lightly dust the dough with flour and knead, adding up to 1/4 cup more flour if needed, until the dough is almost smooth and slightly wet but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces using the bench scraper; keep covered with a kitchen towel until ready to use. Cut 1 piece of dough in half; dust with flour and gently roll each half into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut each rope into 1/2-inch pieces with the bench scraper or a sharp knife and dust with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Line 2 baking sheets with clean kitchen towels; dust with flour. Lightly flour your hands and roll each piece of dough between your palms to make a small ball. One at a time, place each dough ball on the tines of a fork closest to the handle and hold it in place with a floured thumb. In one gentle motion, quickly press and roll the dough along the tines toward the tip of the fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. (The uncooked gnocchi can be frozen at this point. Freeze on the baking sheets until firm, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 weeks.)
• Preheat the broiler and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the coarsely ground pepper and cook until toasted, about 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup of the boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Working in batches, shake the gnocchi in a colander to remove any excess flour, then add to the pot of boiling water and cook until the gnocchi float to the top, about 2 minutes. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to the skillet with the butter sauce, off the heat. Once all the gnocchi are in the skillet, stir to coat and return the skillet to medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil, adding up to 1/4 cup of the cooking water if the gnocchi seem dry. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup each pecorino and parmesan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup each pecorino and parmesan over the top. Transfer the skillet to the broiler and broil until browned and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.

CACIO E PEPE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Toast the pepper in a small saucepan until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the olive oil and heat until bubbles come to the surface. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. (This can be done up to 1 week in advance.)
• While the oil is cooling, macerate the shallots in a bowl with the lemon juice, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to remove potency. Slowly whisk in the pepper oil until emulsified. Add the Parmesan and pecorino; stir to combine.

CACIO E PEPE WITH PANCETTA AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the pancetta is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper and toast it, stirring often, for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and scrape up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
• Add the pasta and sprinkle with the parmigiano-reggiano. Add another 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to coat all of the pasta in the cheese. Add the pecorino and butter and stir to combine, creating a light, creamy cheese sauce. Add the arugula and cook until wilted. Add additional reserved pasta water as needed to maintain the light sauce consistency. Serve with more grated parmigiano-reggiano, if desired.

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.

GNOCCHI CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Cook the gnocchi in a large pan of lightly salted, boiling water. Drain and reserve 200ml of the cooking water.
• Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add the gnocchi, cheese and pepper as well as 150ml of the cooking water, raise the heat a little and stir vigorously until melted and the gnocchi is well coated. Pour in more of the reserved water if you like it saucier. Season with a little salt. Transfer the gnocchi to bowls and serve with a mixed salad, if you like.