20131120
spaghetti cacio e pepe
Followed this recipe:
salt
1 lb pasta
4 tblsp evoo
2 tsp black pepper
1 cup pecorino romano
3/4 cup cacio de roma
cook pasta
reserve 1 cup pasta water
drain pasta
heat oil in skillet over medium until shimmering
add pepper – cook until fragrant – 1-2 min
add 3/4 cup pasta water into skillet – bring to boil
transfer pasta into skillet – spread evenly
sprinkle 3/4 of cheese over pasta – toss to coat evenly
add pasta water if necessary
serve on 4 plates — sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with pepper
a tribute to my childhood love and fascination with white pastas — I always knew that they had non-marinara pasta as a kid, but I only knew one placed where they served it, and we never went their when I was little because it was too expensive — Cenare.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Cheese-and-Pepper-Pasta-Cacio-e-Pepe
tried adding 1 tblsp of salt per liter (quart) of water, it was a bit too salty. I put 3 kg, ~3L of water in the pot.
I think that my new rule of thumb is to 0.75 tblsp per liter of water. The ultimate test will to be actually taste the water — this water was almost a brine.
The water should be pleasantly salty — like a broth, but not watery.
This is a very good, but heavy, dish.
cheese is ~$12/lb.
pecorino romano is a semi-hard cheese, very tasty. Not as hard as parmesan, and a bit more subtle, and can melt. Parmesan is hard and strong — will not melt and make a good cheese pasta.
-Isaac