Spaghetti

Szechuan Cacio e Pepe

The Pasta
This is the second time using spaghetti, and it’s still the king, so nothing else to really say here. But since it’s apparently really good Instagram practices to fill up this area with more content, I will also note that it is one of my personal favorites because of how it’s like the Goldilocks of pasta. It’s not too thick and not to thin, it’s just right.

The Recipe
Cacio e pepe is one of those classic dishes that you remember the when, where, and who of your first experience. It’s a classic, but, simulataneously tastes like nothing familiar. Recapturing that blissful moment of culinary nostalgia when your tastebuds lit up like a Christmas tree the first time you had the dish is impossible. But in twisting the use of peppercorns you can glitch your brain into experiencing something new again. Built on the foundation of a million cacio e pepe recipes before this one, the simple swerve of Szechuan peppercorns can literally leave your tongue numb and yet feel totally balanced. It creates something completely untraditional, something a chef on Italia Squisita would scoff at, but something that will have you smiling from ear-to-ear. So break a classic for the sake of your tastebuds.

Servings: 4 - Time: 30 mins. - Difficulty: 1 - Itsa Easy

Ingredients & Mise en Place

16 oz. spaghetti
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. ground szechuan peppercorns
1 tsp. ground green peppercorns
1 tsp. ground pink peppercorns
1 ¾ c. pecorino romano
1 ¾ c. reserved pasta water
sea salt

Directions

Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. And cook pasta until slightly under al dente which is about 8 minutes for most dry spaghetti.



In a large deep sauté pan over medium heat melt the stick of butter. Once melted add in the pepper and stir to mix until aromatic. Turn heat down to low. Once pasta is a little under al dente, reserve 1 ¾ cups of pasta water and strain the rest. Add the pasta to the buttered pepper mix, and then in batches stir in the pasta water - enough that it is viscous but not saturated. Remove from heat and slowly add in cheese until evenly coated.



Divide into four portions, top with a little extra pepper and cheese, and serve.