I usually consider myself a “moderate” sort of person – not too extreme about much of anything, really. I’m neither too loud nor too quiet. I’m not overbearing nor am I a (complete) pushover. I like an adventure but I’m not a thrill seeker. I live somewhere between Louis Vuitton and the Gap. Generally I’m more of rule follower than a rule breaker. Does that seem boring? (Ok, Shhhhh!) I’ve just always believed sometimes less is more. Though not always….
Now you all know I love Italian food, a cuisine where a few simple ingredients combine to make something spectacular, truly a testament to the “Less is More” philosophy. Consider, for instance, the Roman dish Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper) pasta, a classic dish with 3 simple ingredients (pasta, cheese and pepper) produce utter magic! Now, I’ve tried Cacio e Pepe at home, to mixed results. I don’t know, there must be something in the water in Rome. That’s my excuse anyway. Enter Chrissy Teigen…
Chrissy’s spin (from her book Cravings) on Cacio e Pepe proves that sometimes More is more. It’s really more like a transformation than a simple spin – Ms. Teigen adds some lovely lemon flavor, beautiful crispy pancetta and some spicy arugula to the classic and produces one of the most flavorful dishes on the planet! I was a convert at the fist bite!
This Cacio e Pepe is also super easy to prepare. The key is to prep all the ingredients in advance. While your salted water is coming to a boil, just make sure the cheese is grated, the garlic minced, the lemon squeezed, the black pepper grated. Then when pasta goes into the water, start the pancetta. And the rest is easy. You will want this dish again and again! It is truly that delish! Thanks, Chrissy! Enjoy!
Lemony Arugula Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (from Chrissy Teigen)
This Cacio e Pepe spaghetti is about the most flavorful pasta you can make. It’s adapted from Chrissy Teigen’s book Cravings. I made it for my daughter and her friend a few weeks ago and just couldn’t get it out of my mind. So I made it for my family. OMG, so dang delicious! You’ll...
Ingredients
- 16 oz Dried Spaghetti (not angel hair)
- 5 oz Pancetta, finely diced
- 1/3 c Extra-Virgin Olive oil
- 4 tbsp. Minced garlic - about 5-6 large cloves
- 1 tsp. Heaping, red pepper flake
- 2 1/2 tsp. Black pepper, freshly grated (plus more, to taste)
- 6 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
- 2 c Freshly grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano Cheese, plus more for serving
- 4 c Fresh baby arugula
Instructions
- Dice the pancetta. Mince the garlic. Grate the pepper. Squeeze the lemon. Grate the Parmeggiano-Reggiano.
- In a large pot of generously salted water, cook spaghettti, stopping when it is al dente - about a minute less than the minimum time recommended on the package. If you are draining the pasta, be sure to save about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. If you pull it out with tongs like I do, have a ladle ready because you will need some of the hot pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet to medium and cook the pancetta until it is brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. To the crisp pancetta, add olive oil, followed by the garlic, red pepper flakes and black pepper, cooking about 1 minute. It should be fragrant at this point.
- Add the lemon juice, then add the cooked pasta, tossing to coat. Add the parmeggiano-reggiano and toss. Slowly add some reserved pasta water. This will cause the cheese to become creamy and stick to the pasta. Add arugula, toss until wilted about 1 minute.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper or cheese as desired. Serve with grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano.
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Chrissy Teigen’s Cacio e Pepe
There is no parm in cacio e pepe! The cheese must be pecorino. This dish should be called adult mac and cheese, but that’s not hip enough for Ms. Teigen……
I have to admit, Ann, I have used pecorino when that’s what I have! So good!
This sounds like something I would love! Lemon, garlic and pepper are one of my favorite flavor combinations, and I’m sure the pancetta would have made it even more delicious!
Thank you, Freda! I love the pepper, too, both the black and the red. And this is nice and garlicky!
This looks seriously decent! I havent tried any of her recipes but will definetley be adding this to my list. My stomach is gnawing itself i just want to jump through my computer screen and dive head first into this plate of delicious!
Glad you like the looks of it. It really is a big bite of serious flavor! Thanks!
this version of cacio e pepe sounds so good! the original is tasty too, but i like that this one has some pancetta and arugula, and it’s closer to a full meal with protein and veggies.
Thanks, Heather! I agree, the pancetta and arugula are great additions, and this really is a full meal!