Cacio E Pepe Crackers Recipes

CACIO E PEPE CRACKERS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, pepper, salt and spices (if using), and pulse to combine.
• Add the Cheddar, Asiago and butter, and pulse several times, then let the mixer run until the dough comes mostly together around the blade, 1 to 3 minutes. It's OK if the dough is a little pebbly, but it should clump easily when you squeeze it. (You can also prepare this dough by hand, though you'll need to bring the butter to room temperature first. Mix all your dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Then, in a large bowl, mix Cheddar, Asiago and butter to form a paste. Add the flour mixture and knead the dough together.)
• Pull your dough out of your bowl onto a flat surface and gently knead it into a smooth ball. Split your dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece until about 1/2-inch thick, dusting a tiny bit of flour on your pin, if needed, to prevent the dough from sticking. (If you don't want to bake all the crackers now, you can freeze dough in 1/2-inch-thick blocks.)
• Place a piece of dough in the center of an 18-inch-long piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough on the parchment paper, working from the center outward. (You want the dough to adhere to the bottom layer of parchment, but if your rolling pin sticks to the surface, lightly dust it with flour.) When your dough is about 1/4-inch thick, lay another piece of parchment, plastic wrap, or a silicone baking mat over the surface of your dough. Continue to roll the dough out 1/8- to 1/16-inch thick, as thin as your arms will allow, pressing together any cracks that may form. (You can also use an etching motion, moving your pin from the center out toward the edges across your dough.) Rotate the parchment in front of you with every few strokes to ensure you are rolling the dough evenly.
• Peel back the top layer of parchment and sprinkle the surface with half the Pecorino Romano and a dozen or so grinds of black pepper across the surface. Lightly roll over once more with your rolling pin so the cheese and pepper adheres to the cracker dough. Transfer this sheeted dough onto a baking sheet and chill in the fridge or freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. (If you let it chill longer, just pull it out and let it temper a bit before proceeding.) Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• When the dough is nearly chilled, arrange the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and heat to 325 degrees. Remove one sheet of dough from the tray and place on a work surface.
• Using a pastry wheel (fluted is nice), pizza cutter or a sharp knife and a ruler, cut 1-inch squares across the surface of the dough. (A 1-inch-thick ruler or tracer made from card stock or cardboard comes in handy here.) Transfer crackers to parchment-lined baking sheets with 1/2-inch space in between. (They will not spread much.) If your dough warms up or is difficult to peel and place, just slip it back into the freezer still attached to your parchment paper and let it firm up, then proceed.
• Bake the crackers in the center of your oven for 14 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness), rotating trays midway through baking to ensure they color evenly. Crackers will be just golden at the edges and the surface should be firm to the touch. You want them to dry crisp. (Test by pulling one cracker off the tray, let it quickly cool and break it in half to see how it snaps.) Remove from the oven and cool on trays.
• Once fully cooled, store crackers in a tin or covered container for up to 4 weeks.

EXTRA-CREAMY CACIO E UOVA WITH GRATED EGG

Steps:

• Whisk 2 of the eggs with the yolk, Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a large bowl until smooth and well combined; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat and season the water generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set aside. Once the water is boiling, gently lower the remaining 2 whole eggs into the pot with a slotted spoon or tongs and cook until hard-boiled (the whites and yolks are firmly set), about 10 minutes. Transfer the eggs with the slotted spoon to the ice water, keeping the water in the pot boiling. Let the eggs cool completely, then peel and set aside.
• Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rigatoni well and set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon zest and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan until combined. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
• Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Melt over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and toss with a rubber spatula to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and the egg-cheese mixture. Cook, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is silky and slightly thickened to coat the pasta nicely, 2 to 4 minutes. It's important to turn the pasta frequently and scrape the skillet with a rubber spatula to ensure that the sauce cooks evenly and the eggs do not scramble. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, to adjust the consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon into 4 shallow bowls, then top evenly with the toasted panko. Finely grate the hard-boiled eggs on a rasp grater over the pasta.

CACIO E PEPE

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

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Add the pasta and cook until not quite al dente and still quite chewy, 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When melted, add the garlic and 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer. Grind in a generous amount of pepper. Add the pasta and remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir to combine and let the pasta start to simmer. Begin adding the Parmesan a handful at a time, tossing the pasta with each addition and adding more pepper if desired. Remove from the heat and continue to toss the pasta until well coated, thinning with the extra pasta water if needed. Taste and add more pepper if desired. Divide among bowls and garnish with the parsley. Serve with more Parmesan on the side.

CACIO E PEPE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cheese and pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is coarsely combined and looks like wet sand. Slowly drizzle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water, and pulse until the mixture begins to come together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a 12-inch log. Wrap the log in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick rounds. Transfer fo the baking sheet and bake until the crackers are very lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta al dente; drain. Put the put back on the stove. Immediately sprinkle the finely grated cheese over the pasta, and mix in some of the water used to boil the pasta, until the cheese melts into a light, almost watery, creamy sauce. Grate pepper on top.

INDIVIDUAL CACIO E PEPE LASAGNAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease four 8-ounce ramekins. Break 12 lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces; save any remaining noodles for another use.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Mix drained noodles, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Pecorino cheese, mozzarella cheese, and 2 teaspoons pepper together in a medium bowl.
• Divide noodle mixture among the prepared ramekins. Top with remaining Pecorino cheese, olive oil, and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

CACIO E PEPE FRICO

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.