Pici cacio e pepe
I try to get to London once a year, and Padella at either Borough Market (or now Shoreditch) is usually my first stop. Padella’s pici cacio e pepe is one of their iconic dishes, and actually originated at Trullo, their first (and also incredible) restaurant in Highbury. This dish and substantially easier to make and, for me, more delicious than the agreed-upon traditional cacio e pepe recipe. For cacio e pepe purists, this will surely offend. But for those who enjoy delicious food and a forgiving homemade pasta, it’s an iconic dish that will become a staple in your repertoire. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for step-by-step photos.
GATHER for cacio e pepe (2 servings)
60g of grated or processed parmigiano-reggiano
80g of butter
Juice from one-half of a lemon
3 tablespoons of black pepper
Reserved cooking water from pici
GATHER for pici dough (2 large or 3 medium portions)
375g 00 flour
180mL water
1tbsp of olive oil
PREPARE the dough
In a large bowl, place 375g of 00 flour and create a well for the water and oil.
Pour 180mL of water and 1 tbsp of olive oil into the well, and begin to gradually combine.
Place the mixture on a clean surface, and begin kneading for about 8 to 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, the ball of dough should be smooth and bounce back when poked. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
PREPARE the pici
Unwrap the dough on a clean, flour-free surface. (I like to keep a damp, clean towel closely to help provide more friction when rolling the pici.)
Begin rolling out with a pin, or press firmly with your hands, and try to keep the dough in an oval shape. The resulting thickness should be about 1cm.
Cut the oval in half, and then begin cutting 1cm strips. (See photos below)
Beginning from the middle of the strip, with pressure, roll back and forth towards the end. These should resemble long, smooth worms. With the longer pieces, it’s okay to break these into two pieces. Once finished, place on a heavily-dusted sheet with flour.
FINAL assembly
Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Once boiling, drop the pici and let cook for five minutes.
In a saucepan, combine 80g of butter, 3tbsp of pepper, juice from 1/2 of a lemon, and one ladle of hot boiling water and begin to melt over medium-high heat.
In a separate container, reserve another 2 ladles of pici water and set aside to cool down slightly for finishing the pasta. This is important so the cheese doesn’t clump when finishing the dish.
After 5 minutes, immediately transfer the pici to the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium/medium-low. Drop the 60g of parmigiano-reggiano directly on top of the pici noodles and let melt. Do not stir.
After about 1 minute, once the parmigiano-reggiano has started to melt, gradually incorporate with a spoon. Gradually add another ladle of the separate, reserved pici water to loosen the sauce, if needed.
Plate and serve immediately.
