A TASTE OF ITALY
Rome, Italy
In this series your plate is your passport…
It won’t actually get you through customs, though. It's just a metaphor 🙄
This week we’re serving up a bowl of Italy. You bet your last arancini ball we’re doing a pasta recipe, because, what else?
You’ll be cooking cacio e pepe. It’s got 6 ingredients (and that’s for an extra AF version) and is speedy to make.
It won’t actually get you through customs, though. It's just a metaphor 🙄
This week we’re serving up a bowl of Italy. You bet your last arancini ball we’re doing a pasta recipe, because, what else?
You’ll be cooking cacio e pepe. It’s got 6 ingredients (and that’s for an extra AF version) and is speedy to make.
The History
All of Rome’s best bits start with a 'C'…
The Colosseum, carbonara, and now, cacio e pepe. This pasta dish may sound like some guy Pepe’s weird creation, but it just means cheese and pepper 🧀
The story behind this dish is super wholesome. Back in the day, the shepherds in Rome would take their sheep to graze in spring and summer. It was called transumanza, and it means camping out with the sheep in the Apennine mountains 🐏 Touching stuff. Obvs they had to pack light and bring food that wouldn’t go off...
Homemade dried pasta + cheese from sheep's milk + pepper = a shepherd’s bougie supper.
The Colosseum, carbonara, and now, cacio e pepe. This pasta dish may sound like some guy Pepe’s weird creation, but it just means cheese and pepper 🧀
The story behind this dish is super wholesome. Back in the day, the shepherds in Rome would take their sheep to graze in spring and summer. It was called transumanza, and it means camping out with the sheep in the Apennine mountains 🐏 Touching stuff. Obvs they had to pack light and bring food that wouldn’t go off...
Homemade dried pasta + cheese from sheep's milk + pepper = a shepherd’s bougie supper.
The Recipe
Like mac and cheese, but for grownups and lazy people.
Traditionally you’d use pici (a short thick spaghetti) but we’re in lockdown and pici-hunting is not essential exercise. So use rigatoni or spaghetti instead. Also, we’re using tangy Pecorino and Parmesan in this recipe. But go wild. Bring whatever cheese you want to this party.
Finally, some people add seafood or bacon. Those people have lost their tiny minds and will be cautioned by the Italian food police 🚓
You'll need:
• Salt
• 6 oz. pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini, or spaghetti)
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, (cubed, divided)
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino
Traditionally you’d use pici (a short thick spaghetti) but we’re in lockdown and pici-hunting is not essential exercise. So use rigatoni or spaghetti instead. Also, we’re using tangy Pecorino and Parmesan in this recipe. But go wild. Bring whatever cheese you want to this party.
Finally, some people add seafood or bacon. Those people have lost their tiny minds and will be cautioned by the Italian food police 🚓
You'll need:
• Salt
• 6 oz. pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini, or spaghetti)
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, (cubed, divided)
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino
Method
1) Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and season (generously) with salt. Add the pasta and cook until about 2 minutes before it’s ready. Drain the pasta but keep some of the cooking liquid.
2) While this is all happening, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan and add the pepper. Add half a cup (no need to be super specific) of the reserved pasta water to the pan and simmer.
3) Chuck in the pasta and the last tablespoon of butter. Lower the heat, add the Parmesan and stir it all together until melted.
4) Remove pan from the heat and add your Pecorino. Toss everything to coat and add more pasta water if things are looking dry. Sprinkle with more parm - more is more - then inhale in 3 seconds flat.
1) Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and season (generously) with salt. Add the pasta and cook until about 2 minutes before it’s ready. Drain the pasta but keep some of the cooking liquid.
2) While this is all happening, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan and add the pepper. Add half a cup (no need to be super specific) of the reserved pasta water to the pan and simmer.
3) Chuck in the pasta and the last tablespoon of butter. Lower the heat, add the Parmesan and stir it all together until melted.
4) Remove pan from the heat and add your Pecorino. Toss everything to coat and add more pasta water if things are looking dry. Sprinkle with more parm - more is more - then inhale in 3 seconds flat.
Our Restaurant Pick
You will have filthy dreams about Da Felice 😳
These guys are old-school and have been serving up classics since 1936. They don’t mess with tradition which is why locals love it. If you eat here you could be sitting next to an Italian acting legend...
Not that you’ll notice. Instead, stare longingly as a waiter prepares your cacio e pepe in front of you 🍝 That kind of tong-wrist action can’t be taught.
These guys are old-school and have been serving up classics since 1936. They don’t mess with tradition which is why locals love it. If you eat here you could be sitting next to an Italian acting legend...
Not that you’ll notice. Instead, stare longingly as a waiter prepares your cacio e pepe in front of you 🍝 That kind of tong-wrist action can’t be taught.
This one’s a keeper 💚
