Cacio E Pepe Vinaigrette Recipes

CACIO E PEPE E ZUCCA

Steps:

• Place 2 quarts water in a pot and bring to a boil. Salt the water and boil the pasta, stirring frequently, until al dente. Set a strainer over a large heatproof measuring cup in the sink and carefully drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
• Place the Pecorino-Romano in a large bowl and add 1 cup pasta water to the cheese while whisking vigorously. Add the toasted pepper, cream and pumpkin and whisk. Toss in the spaghetti to coat. Season with salt and add additional pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Serve immediately, garnishing with additional freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated cheese.

CACIO E PEPE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8" springform pan with nonstick spray. Wrap bottom tightly in foil to prevent any leaks and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Mix Fontina, half-and-half, 4 oz. Parmesan, 1 Tbsp. pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl that can rest on rim of pasta pot without falling in.
• Fill pasta pot with 5 quarts water and add remaining 1/2 cup salt. Bring to a boil and cook pasta 4 minutes shy of package directions. Drain.
• While pasta is cooking, place bowl with cheese mixture over pot and whisk constantly until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in ricotta, then eggs and 2 Tbsp. oil. Add drained pasta to bowl and toss to coat.
• Transfer pasta to prepared pan, pressing down to compact lightly. Pour any leftover cheese mixture evenly over. Using tongs or a fork, pull up a few strands of pasta so they form loops just above surface of pie (these will get browned and give texture to the top).
• Bake pasta until cheese is bubbling and pie is golden brown on edges and sides, 35-45 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes before removing sides of pan. Slide a thin spatula underneath and around pie to help release it from pan, then transfer to a platter or cutting board. Top with Parmesan, a drizzle of oil, and a few cranks of pepper. Slice into wedges and serve warm.

CACIO E PEPE PASTA FRIES

Steps:

• Boil 2 cups of penne until al dente, drain and pat very dry. Working in batches, shallow-fry the pasta in vegetable oil over medium-high heat, tossing, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and grated Parmesan. For the dip, mix 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup heavy cream and lots of freshly ground pepper.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• In a pan just wide enough to hold the pasta, place enough water to fill the pan 1 inch from the bottom. Season the water with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Spread the pasta in the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Allow the pasta water to reduce; do not add more, as you want the starchy water to be minimal when the remaining ingredients are added.
• Meanwhile, add the coarse black pepper to a separate small pan over medium heat. Toast a minute or two until fragrant.
• Once the pasta is al dente and the pasta water has reduced so only a slight coating remains at the bottom of the pan, turn off the heat and add the toasted ground black pepper and Pecorino-Romano. Stir and toss vigorously until both ingredients are well incorporated into the pasta. Toss in the olive oil and season with salt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and garnish with more black pepper, Pecorino-Romano and extra-virgin olive oil.

CACIO E PEPE CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• In a medium (4 1/2-inch-diameter by 6-inch-high) saucepan, heat the milk, butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper over medium heat, just until the milk is scalded (see Cook's Note). Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Dump the mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, 1/2 cup of Pecorino and the Parmesan and pulse until the eggs and cheeses are completely incorporated.
• Working in batches, spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a plain 5/8-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the dough in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4 inch high (1 inch apart) on two sheet pans lined with parchment paper. (They should look like huge Hershey's Kisses.) With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl on top of each puff. (You can also use two spoons to scoop the mixture and shape the puffs.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with Pecorino, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned. Rotate the pans halfway through so they brown evenly. Serve hot.

CACIO E PEPE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Toast the pepper in a small saucepan until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the olive oil and heat until bubbles come to the surface. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. (This can be done up to 1 week in advance.)
• While the oil is cooling, macerate the shallots in a bowl with the lemon juice, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to remove potency. Slowly whisk in the pepper oil until emulsified. Add the Parmesan and pecorino; stir to combine.