Decadent Pasta for Romantic Nights In
Cacio E Pepe is an uber-trendy dish hailing everywhere from Italy to New York. It is rich, decadent and creamy.
Now this recipe takes this classic dish to a WHOLE other level. Like honestly. it is super simple to prepare, even for the most inexperienced cooks but it is so impactful in terms of flavour. All of the layers of flavour are subtle and understated but rich!
It feels like something you would be wowed by in a restaurant but you can create at home.
Burnt Butter is a quite a “cheffy” notion but it just means browning the butter, Not burning, but browning. Once you do it here in this recipe you will want brown butter on everything.
Another great little tip is to keep the pasta water and use it to create the sauce. This is key. It helps to emulsify the parmesan cheese and create a sauce. Also, Now I know 30 cracks of pepper a) sounds like ALOT and b) seems a bit controlling and precise but I really think it is perfect amount. Taste as you go with this recipe.
Enjoy with a little glass of valpolicella wine and have a fab evening.
Cacio E Pepe with Burnt Butter, Walnuts and Sage
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 150 g pasta
- 100 g chopped walnuts
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 3-4 tbsp butter
- 50 g grated pecorino romano cheese
- 50 mls cream
- 30 cracks fresh pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Method
- Chop the walnuts and finely dice the sage.
- Grate the cheese.
- Boil up 5 litres of water. Add 1 tsp sea salt.
- Pop in the pasta and cook until tender. Drain. Retain a cup of pasta water.
- Melt the butter over medium to high heat for longer than expected until it turns a gentle caramel brown colour. Keep a close eye on the butter; there’s a fine line between browned butter and burnt butter. Add the walnuts and the sage and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the pasta, toss and then add in the parmesan and cream. Season really well with lots of pepper, yes 30 cracks and a few pinches of sea salt. Add the salt little by little and taste as you.
- Plate up and grate a little more parmesan over the top. Enjoy.
