Cacio e Pepe. Oh do I have a story about Cacio e Pepe…
And it is a good one too, so buckle up.
I have been known to be a “yes girl”. If you don’t know what that means, basically anything that gets presented to me, I say yes to. Example: Hey Brooke, wanna cater a wedding? Me: Yea. Another Example: Hey Brooke want to make a wedding cake the size of a small hut? Me: duh! Another Example: Hey Brooke wanna go to Thailand 6 days notice? Me: ob-vi-ously. So chances are if you ask me to do something, I will most likely do it and be cursing up storm during whatever situation I have just said yes to.
How does this relate to Cacio e Pepe?
Long story short, when I was working on a property a few of us decided it would be a great idea to host a private chef event. I mean, why the heck not? I know how to cook. Right?! Nothing short of my usual, I wanted to do something fancy AF. Because, you know, private cheffing.
Behold Cacio e Pepe!
Now to you this may look like a big bowl of noodles. And essentially, it is. I’m not reinventing the wheel. But to avoid ending up with a big blob of cheese there are certain steps you must follow. And I did not. In front of like 10 people. 10 people that paid to be there. Luckily for me they were kind, but from that moment I learned two valuable lessons. I will never; one: drink wine at an event that I’m working and two: wing shit that shouldn’t be winged. And a few of my guests even said it was the most delicious blob of cheese they have ever eaten. So you win some, you lose some.
Like Pasta?! Get my recipe for Ground Turkey Stuffed Pasta Shells!
Now Cacio e Pepe is like sophisticated mac and cheese. No fluffy ingredients here, just toasted pepper, butter, and in this case I used Parmigiano Reggiano. Yes, I did say toasted pepper. The result?
The most Delicious Sunday Night Dinner.
So much flavor is gained when using a wedge of the real deal instead of buying the pre-grated cheese. And because I can’t go a meal without some greens, I added broccoli raab that was blanched and sauteed in butter and garlic.
Cacio e Pepe with Broccoli Raab
Ingredients
- 12 oz Bucatini or Spaghetti
- 3/4 cup reserved Pasta water
- 1 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tsp Whole Pepercorns, Crushed
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 1 bundle Broccoli Raab, stems removed, Blanched
- Salt
Instructions
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil
Add pasta choice and stir ever couple minutes
Cook until almost done, but still has a little crunch to it
Reserve 3/4- 1 cup of pasta water to the side
In a large pan heat 2 tbsp of butter, garlic, and crushed pepper and swirl
Cook over medium heat for about a minute until it is fragrant
Add water bring to a simmer
Add pasta, butter, and broccoli raab
Reduce heat to low and add cheese
Stir and toss with tongs until melted
Once pasta is coated with cheese and pepper serve
Enjoy!
6 Comments
Sara
October 30, 2018 at 10:30 pmBroccoli & Pasta is one of my favourite combinations! I’ve bookmarked this one & can’t wait to try it!
Wendy
October 31, 2018 at 4:23 pmThis sounds delicious, I am going to get the stuff to made it this weekend…
Sara
October 31, 2018 at 11:59 pmThis looks Sooo good! I’m a sucker for a good pasta. I can’t wait to make this. I need to be dairy free (severely lactose intolerant over here) but I think cashew parm and coconut oil will work well as good subs. I’ll let you know! So excited! Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe ♡
Nicole
November 1, 2018 at 12:35 amI love a good pasta recipe, and this one looks like a winner for sure! I can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Heather LeGuilloux
November 1, 2018 at 4:11 amThis looks super easy to make and delicious! I love the name of this dish, too. Sounds so exotic!
Sharon | The Helpful GF
November 1, 2018 at 2:07 pmThis looks simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.