Francesco Panella, owner of Antica Pesa and Feroce restaurants in Rome and New York, was the second guest of La Cucina Italiana USA Instagram new Live series, #ButtaLaPasta. The restauranteur along with Antica Pesa chef Emanuele Baldassini connected with La Cucina Italiana Editor in Chief Maddalena Fossati to guide the followers in a quick and delicious Cacio e Pepe recipe.
“I chose spaghetti because it’s American’s favorite pasta,” said Panella, before connecting to Antica Pesa kitchen where Chef Baldassini prepared the simple and delicious Roman dish. “While many like to add on ingredients to the cacio e pepe dish, I recommend to stay close to the authentic recipe,” says Panella.
It takes only 4 ingredients: pasta, pepper, Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano), to make the popular dish. “We mix Pecorino and Parmigiano to have a milder result, as Pecorino can be a bit pungent,” explained Panella. Chef Baldassini also recommends to lightly salt the pasta water, as both cheeses are quite tasty, and to use a bowl and tongs to quickly mix the ingredients for a smooth result.
An important ingredient is the cooking water (as also seen in the carbonara recipe with Rocco di Spirito), mixed in first with the cheeses to create the condiment and when adding the pasta. “Finishing up the pasta dish with the sauce and cooking water is called mantecatura,” explains Maddalena, “it helps to have a creamy consistency.” While the pasta is incredibly rich and satisfying, it requires no use of fats, butter, cream or oil.
The dish can be easily done at home, or New Yorkers can just order it from Antica Pesa restaurant in Brooklyn, still open for delivery! (through Caviar and GRUBHUB)
Antica Pesa Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe by Chef Emanuele Baldassini
Serving 1
2/3 oz of pasta, 2 and ½ tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano + more to taste, 1 and ½ tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano), Freshly grounded Black pepper to taste
Bring 1 quart of water to boil, lightly salt, and add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, mix the Pecorino Romano, the Parmigiano Reggiano and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Add some reserved cooking water to the bowl and mix until creamy. When the spaghetti are cooked al dente, remove them from the pot and add them in the bowl. Stir the pasta in the sauce using tongs until it’s evenly coated. Add grated Pecorino Romano to taste.