Foolproof Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients: 

6 TBSP butter
2 tsp minced garlic (from the tube is fine)
1 TBSP fresh cracked black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 pound dried bucatini pasta
6 cups water
1 cup Romano cheese (block cheese finely shredded or grated)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (block cheese finely shredded or grated)
salt
olive oil

Directions: 

1. Find a wide pan like a braiser pan that you can lay the pasta in length wise. Fill the pan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. 

2. To a small saute pan, add 3 TBSP butter, 1 TBSP black pepper and 2 tsp of minced garlic. Heat over low heat just until butter is melty and pepper is fragrant. 

3. When your water is boiling, add the pasta and salt the water heavily. Cook until al dente - about 6-7 minutes. At this point, there should be just a little bit of water left in the pan. 

4. Over low heat, add the pepper/garlic/butter mixture from your saute pan and 2 turns of olive oil and start vigorously stirring. Add the additional 3 TBSP butter and keep stirring and flipping the pasta. 

5. Now off the heat, add a few small handful of Romano cheese at a time and keep stirring and tossing. Then add a few small handfuls of Parmesan cheese and keep stirring. When most of the cheese is added you should have a luxurious creamy sauce that formed.  If your pasta is tight, you can loosen it up with some water and/or olive oil but keep stirring. 

6. Serve right away with more cheese and fresh cracked pepper! 

Wine pairing: 
Flowers
2022
Chardonnay
Sonoma, CA

Check out my instagram reel for this recipe.