Cacio e pepe with green spaghetti
serves
4
Classic Italian cacio e pepe is an easy dish, made all the more impressive by colourful homemade spaghetti. You will need a pasta machine for this recipe.
Ingredients (10)
- 100g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup (60g) finely grated grana padano cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1/4 cup (20g) finely grated pecorino
Green spaghetti
- 60g baby spinach, stems discarded
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups (300g) tipo ‘00’ flour, sifted
- 100g fine semolina, sifted
- 1 1/2 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.
CloseMethod
-
1.For spaghetti, bring a saucepan half-filled with water to the boil. Add spinach and blanch for 20-30 seconds until just wilted. Refresh in iced water, then place in a clean tea towel. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Pulse spinach and egg in a blender until spinach is very finely chopped.
-
2.Place flour, semolina, parsley, 1 tsp fine salt and oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Make a well in the centre. Add spinach and egg mixture and mix on low speed. Increase speed to medium and knead for 5-6 minutes until smooth and elastic. You may need to add a little more flour, 1 tsp at a time, if the dough looks a little wet. Enclose in plastic wrap and rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
-
3.Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and, working with a piece at a time (enclose remaining in plastic), start on thickest setting of pasta machine and run dough through 2-3 times, folding it in half each time, until elastic. Keep rolling, reducing settings notch by notch, until 2mm thick. Place pasta on a semolina-dusted tray and cover with a clean tea towel while you roll remaining pieces.
-
4.Cut pasta into strands using a thick spaghetti attachment and spread on a semolina-dusted tray. Set aside to dry for at least 30 minutes before using.
-
5.Bring a large saucepan three-quarters full with boiling salted water to the boil. Add spaghetti and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Drain, reserving 1 cup (250ml) pasta water, and place in a large heatproof bowl.
-
6.Working quickly, heat a large, deep non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add butter, black pepper, cheeses and reserved pasta water and cook, swirling pan, for 2-3 minutes until cheeses have melted. Add pasta and toss well to combine. If pasta looks too dry, add a little more water. Season to taste and divide among bowls. Scatter with freshly ground black pepper and extra grana padano to serve.
Reviews
Join the conversation
Log in Register