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HOW TO MAKE

Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe

Fettuccine with Cacio e pepe sauce

90 MinuteS to prepare and cook
Medium Difficulty
Want to learn how to cook this authentic Italian recipe of Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe? Sign up today for chef Riccardo Alberti’s next class.

Recipe Overview

This dish of peasant origin, was born in the Roman countryside. The shepherds, during the grazing, brought with them poor foods that were easy to preserve for a long time, such as black pepper, dried tomatoes, pig check or seasoned pecorino. Another essential ingredient was the pasta which gave them a great calorie intake, helped them to bear the cold and above all, being composed of carbohydrates, they had a great filling power, so as not to make them go hungry. Cacio e pepe was born as a poor dish of the peasant tradition of Lazio but today in Roman restaurants it has become a real symbol of the regional gastronomic tradition.

 Ingredients

Total Served: 2

For the Pasta:

1
100 grams (0.8 cup) Soft Wheat Flour Type 00 (Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour)
2
100 grams (0.6 cup) Semolina Flour (alternatively, use only 00 flour)
3
2 Large eggs (at room temperature)
4
1 Yolk (optional, if the eggs are not large)

For the Sauce:

1
80 grams (0.8 cup) Pecorino Romano Dop, finely grated
2
Ground black pepper

Equipment Needed to Make Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe

The following tools will be used to create Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe. Not all of them are necessary and can be replaced with more manual operations, but we suggest using all of these to make the recipe as easy-to-create and yummy as possible. Click on any of the items to learn more about them and purchase them.
Working surface where you can roll out the pasta
Rolling pin, Pasta machine, or even a Broom Handle
Sharp kitchen knife
Kitchen scale
Bench scraper
Cheese grater
Large mixing bowl
Plastic wrap
Pot
Kitchen towels

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions for Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe

Let’s get started with creating Fettuccine Cacio e Pepe. Follow the instructions in order below to create this tasty fall dish.
Make the dough:
1
MIx the two types of flour together and pour them on a work surface.
2
Form a volcano in the center and add one egg at at time into it.
3
Whisk the eggs with a fork and incorporate the flour a bit at a time until all the moisture is absorbed by the flour, and the dough looks lumpy.
4
Work the dough with both hands until a mass forms, start to knead it.
5
Repeat until the dough is a smooth but elastic mass.
6
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Roll the sfoglia (pasta sheet):
1
Sprinkle a pinch of flour on the work surface.
2
Flatten the dough with hands keeping a round shape.
3
Position the rolling pin horizontally in the middle of the dough and roll it forward all the way up.
4
Bring the rolling pin back to the center and roll back toward you.
5
Rotate the pasta sheet 90° (1/4turn) and repeat the movements.
6
Continue rolling the pasta until you reach a thickness of 2 mm.
Cut the Fettuccine:
1
Before cutting the tagliatelle, the dough should rest on the work surface for 8-10 minutes until it is dry to the touch.
2
When dry, measure three fingers of width and fold the pasta over itself from the round down edge to the center.
3
Now, turn the pasta sheet and repeat to fold the pasta to the half, starting from the other round down edge.
4
Measure 4 mm/0.15 in width and cut the sfoglia crosswise to make even lines.
5
Put the knife behind 6-8 folded fettuccine, lift the knife off the work surface and gently shake it.
6
Fettuccine will unfurl down.
Make the Cacio e Pepe sauce:
1
Bring a big pot of water on the heat and add a handful of coarse salt.
2
Meanwhile finely grate the Pecorino Romano cheese in a bowl.
3
Put a large frying pan on top of the boiling pot to warm it up.
4
Ground the black pepper inside and add a ladle of boiling water.
5
Now boil the pasta, Fettuccine’s cooking time is maximum 2 minutes.
6
Strain them into the frying pan, stir to mix the pepper with the pasta.
7
Wait a little bit until the temperature inside the pan lowers then start to add a handful of cheese at a time (heat off).
8
Stir and allow the cheese to melt to create the cheesy sauce of Cacio e Pepe.
9
If the sauce looks dry adjust it with pasta water or if it looks too watery add more cheese.
10
Serve and sprinkle more Pecorino Romano cheese on top.
Buon Appetito!
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Tag Chef Riccardo Alberti, @riccardocookingclass

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