Autumn is a delicious season in Australia. For this month, we highlight a classic pasta dish from Roman cuisine - Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, which you will 'fall' in love with.
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
For centuries, cacio e pepe has been the perfect meal of the Roman shepherds. Dried pasta, aged pecorino and black peppers are easy-to-carry ingredients and hard to spoil.
Despite what many people think, cacio e pepe recipe does not need any cream or butter. The starch from the spaghetti and the grated pecorino combined in the right way are enough to create the cacio e pepe sauce.
As in many Roman recipes, the pepper has to be very abundant.
Ingredients (4 serves):
- Spaghetti Rustichella d’Abruzzo 320g
- Pecorino Romano very finely grated 200g
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper to taste
Method:
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt.
- When the water is boiling, pour the spaghetti into the pot.
- Meanwhile, place the finely grated Pecorino Romano into a large bowl.
- Cook the pasta until about 2 minutes before al dente.
- Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.
- Transfer the Pasta into the bowl, add a drizzle of Olive Oil and abundant cracked black pepper and slowly pour the reserved hot cooking water. Add extra Pecorino if necessary.
- Stir strongly for about 5 minutes until the starch combines with the cheese and obtain a creamy sauce.
Cacio and pepe is ready to serve. Buon Appetito!
