Meatless Monday - let's keep it very simple. What could be more simple than pasta with cheese and black pepper aka Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe? Not much. The simple combination of pasta, fresh grated Pecorino Romano, ground black pepper, and pasta water really is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of all the parts.
Basics ingredients:
1 pound dried spaghetti
4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese,
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Additional ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1.5 - 2 cups pasta cooking water
Grate the cheese.
Cook spaghetti in well-salted water to just short of al dente in a large pot.
While pasta is cooking, I put together a quick salad, romaine, sweet mini peppers, carrot, kalamata olives. Pretty, isn't it?
Drain spaghetti, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water.
Dry out the pot, then heat the olive oil over high heat hot but not smoking.
Add drained spaghetti and 1 cup of reserved pasta water. Be Careful! This will spatter and spit!
Add butter, 3 ounces cheese and ground pepper and toss together with tongs. It will come together and become a creamy sauce, hopefully coating each strand of pasta.
Taste, adding more pasta water, cheese, pepper to taste. You don't need salt, the cheese is quite salty already.
Serve immediately, sprinkling with reserved cheese and extra black pepper.
It's creamy with a little bite, simply delicious!
Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!
The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
Basics ingredients:
1 pound dried spaghetti
4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese,
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Additional ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1.5 - 2 cups pasta cooking water
Grate the cheese.
Cook spaghetti in well-salted water to just short of al dente in a large pot.
While pasta is cooking, I put together a quick salad, romaine, sweet mini peppers, carrot, kalamata olives. Pretty, isn't it?
Drain spaghetti, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water.
Dry out the pot, then heat the olive oil over high heat hot but not smoking.
Add drained spaghetti and 1 cup of reserved pasta water. Be Careful! This will spatter and spit!
Add butter, 3 ounces cheese and ground pepper and toss together with tongs. It will come together and become a creamy sauce, hopefully coating each strand of pasta.
Taste, adding more pasta water, cheese, pepper to taste. You don't need salt, the cheese is quite salty already.
Serve immediately, sprinkling with reserved cheese and extra black pepper.
It's creamy with a little bite, simply delicious!
Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!
The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
A good-looking meal, and so easy too. Everyone needs to have dried pasta and cheese in their store-cupboard / fridge. With them to-hand and a bit of veg from the garden, you are never going to be short of a nice meal.
ReplyDeleteI think a deep pantry is essential Mark. By purchasing dry/canned goods in quantity when they go on sale, putting up from the bounty of the garden, one can develop quite a good fall back.
ReplyDeletedelish! i love lots of pepper on cheese pasta. great work! now if you just had a scoop of goat cheese...
ReplyDelete;-)
Now where could I get some goat cheese?
ReplyDeleteYou have very nice recepe in your blog. Bravo. I will come back.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellada! I am glad you found something to like. I look forward to hearing more from you.
ReplyDelete