Cacio e Pepe – literally cheese and pepper
Servings 2
Cacio e Pepe – literally cheese and pepper
Ingredients
- 250 g Fettucine pasta I made fresh but can be from a packet
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns freshly ground
- 1 cup grana padana or parmesan finely grated
- 1 Cheese wheel
For the fresh pasta
- 180 g 00 plain flour
- 20 g semolina
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
Method
For the fresh pasta
- Weigh out 180 g of 00 flour and 20 g of semolina flour
- Make mound of flour on work surface and make a well with the egg
- Crack 2 wholes eggs into well
- Gently mix egg mixture and slowly incorporate flour
- Once incorporated, knead for 15 minutes
- Cover in cling and place in fridge for 1 hour
- Remove from fridge and pass through pasta machine until the second lowest setting
- Finish by cutting pasta through fettucine attachment.
For the sauce
- Cook the fresh made pasta for 2 minutes, if using packet pasta cook until al dente
- Place peppercorns in frying pan on low/medium, let toast for 20 seconds before adding ½ cup of pasta water to the pan
- Combine the finely grated cheese and ½ a cup of pasta water in a bowl and mix completely
- Add pasta directly into pan, all that starchy water helps with the sauce
- Swirl around so that the pasta is completely coated in peppercorns, turn the heat off
- Add the cheese mixture to pan and mix in very well.
- At this stage you will need to add more pasta water so just ladle it out of the pot
- You are looking for a nice silky, saucy consistency
- Serve immediately