Cacio e Pepe

A few years ago, my family and I spent a summer traveling Europe. Though we were in Rome for only one week, the city stole my heart. I loved the dichotomy between the Roman ruins and the young vibrant culture. And, I especially loved the trattorias filled with homemade pastas, fried artichokes, pizza, and espresso granita. 

Cacio e Pepe, or spaghetti with pecorino and pepper,  is a Roman dish that I became obsessed with, and I pretty much ordered it anytime I saw it on a menu. Despite its humble ingredients, the dish is hard to find here in the US. 

When I am longing for a dinner overlooking the Tiber and the Forum or a warm walk through the Piazza Navona, I will instead reach for this pasta dish. It's quick and easy to pull together, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It will taste almost as good as the pasta I had in Rome, as long as you make sure to follow these basic instructions!

Cacio e Pepe

From Patricia Wells

Serves 4 

3 tablespoons coarse, freshly ground black pepper, preferably Tellicherry peppercorns

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons salted butter

3 tablespoons sea salt

1 lb spaghetti

3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for garnishing

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Regiiano cheese, plus extra for servicng

Place the pepper in a large skillet over medium heat and toast it, shaking the pan, until fragrant about 30 seconds. 

Add the oil and the butter and stir until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the heat.  

In a pasta pot, bring 8 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the salt and pasta, stirring to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook until tender but firm to the bite. Remove the pasta pot from the heat. Drain the pasta, shaking to reserve some of the excess water. Reserve some of the cooking water for the sauce.

Return the skillet to the heat. Add about 4 tablespoons of the pasta water to the oil mixture and stir to blend. Add the pasta and toss until it is evenly coated.

Add the cheeses and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. If the pasta is dry, add more pasta water. Serve immediately with additional grated cheeses.

Back to Basics: Pasta

Yes, I know you think you know how to make pasta. I'm here to tell you that while you probably know the basics, there are quite a few pro tricks that I recently learned that make a HUGE difference.

Pasta is great for so many reasons--it's quick to make, it can feed a crowd, and pleases both vegetarians and meat-lovers. Since it's likely in your weeknight arsenal of meals, why not make sure your pasta is perfect?

The Perfect Way to Cook Pasta

1. Boil Water

I know--you already know how to boil water. Great--just make sure you use at least 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.

2. Salt your water.

Once the water is boiling, add a lot of salt to the water. Typically, you should add 1/4 cup of salt for every six quarts. The salt will season your pasta so that you are not putting delicious sauce onto bland boiled dough.

3. Cook to al dente.

Literally meaning "to the tooth", al dente is the true Italian way of cooking pasta. Your pasta should have texture and firmness, but is should NOT be crunchy. Typically, packages are pretty good at estimating al dente cooking times, but start checking the pasta two-three minutes before just in case. It's better to check too early, than to check too late!

4. Save the pasta water!

Instead of simply draining your pasta over the sink, letting all of the pasta water go to waste, save two cups of the liquid.  The water has a lot of starch and salt that will help balance out your sauce, no matter whether you made it yourself or you are relying on trusty Trader Joe's.

5. Use a saucepan and tongs.

When it comes to actually combining the pasta, sauce, and pasta water, use a saucepan and tongs. Over medium heat, add in the pasta, sauce, and a splash or two of the pasta water. Then, use your tongs to toss the pasta so it is evenly coated with sauce. The tongs also make serving pasta so much easier.

Top with freshly grated Parmesan, and then your pasta is ready to eat!

Back to Basics: Marinara Sauce

Happy Friday!  Hope you all are having a fabulous start to the holiday weekend!  I had a crazy week at work with two client meetings, but I managed to get out of the office a little bit early today.  I got so many errands done between 3pm and 5pm--mailing holiday gifts, getting renters' insurance, shopping for more holiday gifts, and then working out.  I felt accomplished--especially after a week of staying late at the office.

I wanted a cozy night in after finishing all my errands, especially because I have holiday parties and other events throughout the weekend.  Pasta, particularly pasta with marinara sauce, is an ultimate comfort food for me.

Every person should know how to make a marinara sauce.  It is so easy to do, yet it throughly impresses people when you can whip ups some homemade marinara instead of relying on Prego, Trader Joe's or some other store bought brand. This recipe is my favorite because: it is ready in under 45 minutes, requires opening up a bottle of red wine (which means you just must have a glass or two with dinner), is vegetarian, and freezes nicely.

I added roasted garlic chicken sausage from Trader Joe's to the sauce when I added in the canned tomatoes, parsley, salt, and black pepper.  It's a great way to add some protein in!

Marinara Sauce
from Ina Garten (makes 6 servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, like Chianti
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large (at least 12-inch) skillet.  Add the onion and sautė over medium heat until translucent (basically, move the onions around in the pan every once in a while).  This should take 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. 
4. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.