If you want to say “I love you” with a dish, nothing says it better than something you have lovingly stirred for over 20 minutes. Which makes this Cacio e Pepe Risotto perfect for a Valentine’s dinner or lunch. It’s one of the creamiest risottos you’ll ever make. Finished off with plenty of Pecorino cheese, butter, and of course lots of pepper!
Those Romans know how to make a romantic dish
Originating from Rome, Cacio e Pepe is traditionally made with just 3 ingredients: pasta, Pecorino cheese, and black pepper. It is said to have its humble roots out in the pastoral fields. The ingredients would keep for a long time and make a filling meal at the end of the day. Now, it’s an iconic dish and a Roman cuisine staple.
My husband and I got married in Tuscany. We spent a few days in Rome on our honeymoon and totally fell in love with Cacio e Pepe.
Risotto rice not pasta
With just 3 ingredients in the original pasta dish, there is nowhere to hide! Getting that silky, emulsified sauce can be difficult, and lumpy cheese is a common pitfall. By using a simple risotto base, we’re ensuring we achieve that creamy, unctuous sauce, with no risk of clumps.
Do I really need to toast the pepper?
The simple answer is ‘yes‘.
By toasting the peppercorns, you really enhance their flavour, and let’s face it, it’s the co-star to this dish alongside the cheese. Taking a few extra minutes is really worth it, trust me.
For this risotto you should go with Arborio rice.
It’s possible to use Parmesan, but traditionally Cacio e Pepe is made with Pecorino, as it brings a more salty, sheep’s-milk flavour.
You’re already standing and stirring for long enough; if you need to wait each time you add a ladle for the dish to get up to temperature it will take longer. Therefore, yes. It’s best to have your stock on the hob beside you just at simmering point.
Cacio e Pepe is a pretty peppery dish. I’ve added 1 and 1/2 tsp of pepper to the dish, but you should have some left over from the tablespoon you grind. Feel free to spice it up some more if you wish! Of course, if you’re sharing the love with the whole family, you can always add 1/2 tsp at the end (instead of 1 tbsp) for the little ones.
Cacio e Pepe Risotto – the perfect Valentine’s dinner
Equipment
- heavy casserole dish or non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 shallot very finely diced
- 150 g risotto rice Arborio works well
- 125 ml white wine dry
- 500 ml chicken stock or vegetable
- 60 g Pecorino cheese finely grated (plus extra for serving if you wish)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Taking a small non-stick frying pan, over a medium-high heat, dry fry the tablespoon of black peppercorns for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Place in a spice grinder, or pestle and mortar, and grind to a fine powder.
- Melt 25g of the butter in the casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the very finely diced shallot, crushed garlic, salt, and 1/2 tsp of the ground pepper. Fry gently, stirring often, for 5 minutes until the shallot has softened.
- Meanwhile, place your stock in a saucepan nearby and keep warm.
- Add the risotto rice to the casserole dish and stir to coat in the butter. Cook for a couple of minutes until the edges of the rice are turning translucent. At this point, pour in your dry white wine and bubble until it has reduced by two-thirds.
- You now start to add your stock a ladle at a time, stirring continuously. The process of adding the stock and the rice absorbing all the liquid should take around 20 minutes. At that point, you will have rice in a creamy sauce that still retains a little bite. Test to make sure, and if you feel it's got a little too much bite, add another 50ml of water.
- Stir in the finely grated Pecorino, remaining 25g of butter, and an additional teaspoon of the ground black pepper. Stir for another 2 minutes to melt the cheese and butter. Serve sprinkled with extra Pecorino cheese, and chopped parsley if you wish.
Notes
- Arborio rice is the preferred rice to use for this dish.
- You could use Parmesan, but traditionally, Cacio e Pepe is made with Pecorino, as it brings a more salty, sheep’s-milk flavour.
- The dish is supposed to be pretty peppery. I’ve added 1 and 1/2 tsp of pepper to the dish, but you should have some left over from the tablespoon you grind. Feel free to spice it up some more if you wish!
Nice twist on the traditional pasta dish! One of my favourites when in Rome.Looking forward to trying this one out.