Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

The beauty of this dish lies in its Roman origins and it’s simplicity.

Pasta cacio e pepe (“cheese and pepper”) is made with Pecorino Romano and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

1 – pound spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, lightly toast the pepper in the olive oil, then turn the heat off and let it sit until the pasta is ready.
3. When the pasta is done, turn on the heat to oil, add the pasta to that pan along with some of the pasta water. Toss, add the cheese, continue tossing, add more pasta water, season with salt; toss again and serve.

Fresh Ravioli

Using my fresh pasta recipe, ravioli are quite easy to make.
I lay out two long sheets of pasta next to each other, then add spoonfuls of ricotta-filling on one sheet, spacing each dollop 1-inch apart.    

    

Ricotta filling
ricotta cheese, parmesan, parsley, egg, salt and pepper    

    

After one pasta sheet is full of ricotta mounds, I take the other sheet and blanket it over the sheet with the fillings. I quickly press between the mounds to seal and give way to the beginning of the ravioli shapes.    

Cut the ravioli using a ravioli cutter or a pizza cutter.    

    

Remember…
Refrigerate and use within 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.    

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