**Cacio e Pepe With Parmesan Frico: A Classic Italian Comfort Food Dish**
Cacio e pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that is known for its simplicity and bold flavors. The dish is made with just a few ingredients: pasta, cheese, pepper, and butter. The key to a great cacio e pepe is to use high-quality ingredients and to cook the pasta al dente. Parmesan frico is a crispy cheese wafer that is often served with cacio e pepe. It adds a delicious crunch and extra cheesy flavor to the dish.
This article provides two recipes: one for cacio e pepe and one for parmesan frico. The cacio e pepe recipe is a straightforward guide to making this classic dish. The parmesan frico recipe is a bit more challenging, but it's worth the effort. The crispy cheese wafers are a delicious addition to any meal.
Whether you're a fan of Italian food or just looking for a new weeknight dinner idea, cacio e pepe with parmesan frico is a great option. The dish is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. So what are you waiting for? Give it a try today!
CACIO E PEPE FRICO
A delicate cracker made by baking mounds of grated cheese into weblike crisps, frico could feature a number of cheeses, be it Montasio, cheddar, Asiago or, in this case, the kinds featured in cacio e pepe. Using both Parmesan and pecorino gives a good mix of richness and tang, though you could just use Parmesan. (Pecorino on its own may be too salty once it concentrates in the oven.) Snack on these with wine or spritzes, or crumble them over pasta, salad, soup or anything that likes a grating of cheese.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories quick, crackers and chips, finger foods, appetizer
Time 15m
Yield 20 crackers
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss together the cheeses.
- Arrange heaping tablespoon-size mounds of the cheese mixture on the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart. Using your fingers, gently pat down each mound to flatten. (It's O.K. if there are holes - the cheese will melt into a web.) Grind pepper over each round.
- Bake until golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets until crisp, then transfer to a serving plate using an offset spatula.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 22, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 0 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 80 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams
CACIO E PEPE
Provided by Geoffrey Zakarian
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
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 WITH FRESH CORN
Provided by Katie Lee Biegel
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water and the corn cobs to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet or large braiser over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic powder and stir to completely coat the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are toasted and light brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Wipe the skillet clean.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in the cleaned skillet over medium heat until the butter melts. Increase the heat to medium high. Add a generous amount of black pepper, at least 1 teaspoon, and cook until the pepper is very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the corn kernels and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the corn is softened and turns bright yellow, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the Pecorino Romano to a large heatproof bowl. Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the hot pasta water and stir vigorously until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce.
- Remove the pasta from the boiling water with tongs to the skillet with the corn and toss to coat. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese sauce to the skillet and toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to keep it saucy. Add more pepper to taste. Top with more cheese and breadcrumbs, reserving some crumbs for plating. Sprinkle with the basil, parsley, chile and even more black pepper if desired. Drizzle with oil. Plate and sprinkle with more breadcrumbs.
CACIO E PEPE
Whip up a simple cacio e pepe for a speedy lunch. With four simple ingredients - spaghetti, pepper, parmesan and butter - this is a storecupboard favourite
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Dinner
Time 15m
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Cook the pasta for 2 mins less than pack instructions state, in salted boiling water. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium frying pan over a low heat, then add the ground black pepper and toast for a few minutes.
- Drain the pasta, keeping 200ml of the pasta water. Tip the pasta and 100ml of the pasta water into the pan with the butter and pepper. Toss briefly, then scatter over the parmesan evenly, but don't stir - wait for the cheese to melt for 30 seconds, then once melted, toss everything well, and stir together. This prevents the cheese from clumping or going stringy and makes a smooth, shiny sauce. Add a splash more pasta water if you need to, to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Serve immediately with a good grating of black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 565 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 12 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 75 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 21 grams protein, Sodium 0.66 milligram of sodium
EASY CACIO E PEPE
Classy Italian mac and cheese basically. Add as much pepper as you like.
Provided by Brian Genest
Categories Pasta Main Dishes
Time 30m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until almost tender yet still firm to the bite, 8 to 9 minutes; they will not be fully cooked. Drain, reserving about 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Set pasta aside.
- Combine Pecorino Romano cheese and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of pasta water and stir into a thick paste.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat; swirl to coat the bottom. Add cheese paste and a ladle of pasta water; whisk vigorously to combine. Keep whisking quickly and vigorously to make sure the cheese does not clump, about 30 seconds. Add cooked pasta and black pepper. Keep tossing skillet contents continuously until cheese has coated the pasta evenly and bucatini are cooked al dente, about 2 minutes. Add more water or cheese if the pasta sauce appears too thin or thick.
- Serve immediately topped with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and more black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 887 calories, Carbohydrate 89.5 g, Cholesterol 97.1 mg, Fat 36.1 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 49 g, SaturatedFat 18.3 g, Sodium 1334.8 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
Tips:
- Use the right cheese. Pecorino Romano is the traditional cheese for cacio e pepe, but you can also use Parmigiano-Reggiano or a blend of the two. Just make sure to use a hard, salty cheese that will melt well.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Cacio e pepe is best when the pasta is cooked al dente, or slightly firm to the bite. If you overcook the pasta, it will become mushy and the sauce will not adhere to it as well.
- Use a generous amount of pepper. Black pepper is the star of this dish, so don't be afraid to use a lot of it. Freshly ground black pepper will give you the best flavor.
- Add the cheese gradually. Once the pasta is cooked, add the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. This will help the cheese melt evenly and prevent it from clumping.
- Serve immediately. Cacio e pepe is best served immediately, while the pasta is still hot and the cheese is melted and gooey.
Conclusion:
Cacio e pepe is a simple but delicious pasta dish that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. With just a few ingredients, you can create a flavorful and satisfying dish that the whole family will enjoy. So next time you're looking for a new pasta recipe to try, give cacio e pepe a try. You won't be disappointed.
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