Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Directions

Mix flours together and add eggs. Once incorporated, add water and extra virgin olive oil. The dough will seem dry and shaggy, but that’s what you want at this point.

Knead the dough for a minimum of 10 minutes. The flour will begin to hydrate, and the dough will become soft. Once you can poke the dough with your finger and the impression holds, stop kneading, cover with a towel and let rest for 30-60 minutes.

Step 2: Roll out the noodles

Once it’s rested, cut dough ball into quarters and roll out as thin as possible.

If you have a pasta press/cutter or a Cuisinart pasta attachment, now is the time to get it out. If not, simply use a rolling pin.

Once dough is desired flatness, roll the sheet up and cut from right to left. This will be the width of your pasta, so if you like pappardelle, cut pieces about 1 inch thick, ½ inch thick for fettucine, and so on.

Set aside when finished. If not cooking immediately, flour pasta and refrigerate.

Step 3: Cook the pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. The industry trope is “as salty as the sea” because this is the only chance you’ll get to season your noodles—add more salt than you think necessary!

Once water is boiling, drop your pasta and cook for 30-60 seconds (fresh pasta cooks 10x faster than dried pasta, so keep an eye on it). Once your pasta is cooked through, strain it and set aside, remembering to reserve some of the water it cooked in (pasta water).

Step 4: Create the sauce and assemble!

In a saute pan over medium heat, add both the olive and neutral oil. Add garlic, black pepper and a pinch of salt.

Once the garlic is browned—it will only take about 1 minute, so watch closely—remove from heat and pour in your ¼ cup reserved pasta water. This will deglaze the pan and become the base of your sauce. The starches left over in the water will also help bind your sauce together.

Return to medium heat and once water is simmering, add most of your grated pecorino (reserving a few tablespoons for garnish). After cheese has dissolved, reduce heat to low and add in cold butter; it will slowly melt and emulsify into the sauce, allowing it to thicken.

Once butter is melted and the sauce is ready, add your cooked noodles and toss. Place in a serving bowl and top with remaining cheese and some extra black pepper. Enjoy!