CACIO & PEPE [ENGLISH]

The history of this dish that symbolizes the Roman era was born in the pastures during the transhumance. During the long movements of the flock, the shepherds of the Roman countryside filled the saddlebag with caloric and long-life foods. Among the dried tomatoes and the dried pork cheek there were also a few slices of pecorino cheese, a bag of black peppercorns and a good quantity of dried spaghetti prepared by hand with water, salt and flour. There is a reason why these last three foods were chosen. Black pepper directly stimulates the heat receptors and helped shepherds protect themselves from the cold, aged pecorino can be preserved for a long time and pasta guaranteed the right amount of carbohydrates and calories. This dish, which over the years has spread from the Lazio countryside to the Abruzzo and Umbrian mountains, took little to make the leap and to transform itself from a frugal meal into a typical dish of Roman taverns.

Cacio e pepe in Rome is an institution. It is like the Colosseum. It contains the soul of a city devoted to grandeur, to majesty but which never forgets the simplicity of its quarters.
Cacio e Pepe might seem very easy, but its simplicity is only apparent, and indeed, as the main ingredients, besides pasta, are only two, the difficulty lies in balancing them perfectly, and in creating a savory and creamy sauce at the right point.
If you want to find out all the true secrets to prepare this pasta to perfection, watch this video till the end.

Please remember that the original recipe does not provide for oil or butter to make the cream (!).

Ingredients for 4 people:
• 400 g of spaghetti • 200 g of pecorino Romano • black pepper • cooking water

So let’s start by putting the water for the pasta on the stove, remembering to add just a little salt to avoid the risk of making it too savory. Don't worry, pecorino will take care of the taste!
At this point, we make the sauce.
After a couple of minutes of cooking the pasta, when the white froth, which is nothing more than starch, begins to emerge in the water, pour a couple of ladles of boiling water into the pan with the pepper and let the pepper melt slightly.

Although many use the word ‘cacio’ to refer to cheese in general, only Pecorino Romano Buccia Nera can be used to make this pasta!

Grate the cheese just before using it, then leave it aside. Now we will create the classic creamy cheesy sauce, and to do this we need to melt the cheese with water. But how can we avoid the formation of lumps, and create that unpleasant glue effect? Simple, with the cooking water! To do this, drain the pasta in the pan with the few ladles of cooking water I told you before, mix it with the pecorino and toss it until you get the right creaminess.

You just have to add some more grated pecorino and serve the pasta immediately.
Cacio & Pepe is ready, enjoy it!

Of course, as we have seen, creaminess must be the main feature of this pasta, which otherwise would be a simple pasta with a sprinkle of pepper and cheese on top.

Finally, a small variant that is prepared in Rome. Some, to give a note of acidity to the dish, conclude the preparation with grating a bit of lemon zest, which balances the flavors, contrasting with the flavor and fatness of the cheese. Try it, with this move your pasta will be really delicious!

What is the right pasta to be used?
Right, we got a thing for spaghetti, but that doesn't mean you can't use other types of pasta to prepare this delicious dish of Roman cuisine. So, choose the pasta you like best.
I really think that spaghetti or mezze maniche taste better, but again, that’s my taste. There are some people using bucatini, other even pici.

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[urban_movement]

Stavo cercando su Youtube e ho trovato questo video. Bella roba! Mi sono pure iscritto al tuo canale. Anche io pubblico spesso, se ti va passa dal mio.