Tips And Tricks For Making The Best Cacio e Pepe
This sage advice is beyond simple, but truly elevates this beloved Roman classic.
An elevated mac-and-cheese
Cacio e Pepe — the unofficial signature pasta dish of Rome — has roots that date back to ancient times. The straightforward combination of grated pecorino cheese and plenty of pepper comes together to create a memorable meal… when it’s prepared correctly.
Ethan Stowell, the Seattle-based chef/restaurateur with more than 20 restaurants, first introduced the dish at Rione XIII in 2012. More than a decade ago, Cacio e Pepe was fairly obscure in this country. But it soon took off and recently, its popularity has inspired many clever creations. (More about that in a sec.)
While seemingly straightforward, Cacio e Pepe done right, Stowell recommends following a few essential steps:
Save the parmesan cheese rinds — store them in the freezer — and simmer them in boiling water to make a salty stock. That’s the water in which you’ll cook the pasta.
Reserve some of the cooking water to add to the pasta and cheese mixture.
Gently toast the peppercorns before grinding. “We sift out the powder and use only the coarse grind,” Stowell said.
Tonnarelli — a fatter noodle — is the traditional choice of pasta when in Rome. “You can also use spaghetti or bucatini,” he said.
Side note: Stowell’s Tavolata is celebrating its 16th anniversary on Jan. 23 with free rigatoni giveaway. Brava!
Grandmaster Recorders serves a riff on Cacio e Pepe that’s become a huge hit with diners.
Grandmaster Recorders
Next Level Cacio e Pepe
At Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood, chef Blake Shailes has come up with a savory antipasti that’s among the greatest hits at dining spot that describes its cross-global menu as Australian-Italian. Warm zeppole are topped with grated Parm and black pepper after being placed on top of a bed of imported mortadella.
“The silky charcuterie plays nicely with the warm and fluffy doughnuts,” Shailes said in a recent phone interview.
The chef described the first time he remembered having Cacio e Pepe: “They served it table side, out of a hollowed out pecorino wheel at a restaurant in Sydney. For me, it’s like one of those forgotten about classics that feels like a hug from your grandma.”
