Stop Overthinking CACIO E PEPE | A Foolproof and Totally Traditional Recipe
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- čas přidán 19. 05. 2024
- Cacio e pepe (literally "cheese and pepper") is one of the simplest pasta dishes out there, yet one of the trickiest to master. Many cooks struggle to create a creamy sauce without thick clumps of stringy cheese, and much of the culinary internet space has devoted itself to finding "foolproof" methods for preparing it.
Many of these methods technically work, but they also tend to radically change the nature of the dish and/or overcomplicate this humble pasta. In this video, we hope to clear up some confusion and present a technique that is both foolproof, traditional and incredibly yummy at the same time.
It's time to end the Cacio e Pepe madness!
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FOOLPROOF & TRADITIONAL CACIO E PEPE RECIPE - www.pastagrammar.com/post/how...
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00:00 - What is Cacio e Pepe?
01:09 - The "Problem" with Cacio e Pepe
01:57 - What Makes Italian Cacio e Pepe Different?
04:22 - The Right Pasta for Cacio e Pepe
05:37 - What Everyone Gets Wrong About Cacio e Pepe
09:12 - Eva's Foolproof Cacio e Pepe Method
09:54 - The Best Cheese for Cacio e Pepe
10:55 - How to Grate Cheese for Cacio e Pepe
11:48 - Toasting Pepper for Cacio e Pepe
13:07 - Which Pasta to Use for Cacio e Pepe
13:36 - How to Cook the Pepper Sauce for Cacio e Pepe
15:16 - Cacio e Pepe Trick: Let the Pasta Cool Down!
16:02 - How to Add Cheese Without Clumping
18:46 - Harper Makes Cacio e Pepe
21:56 - Eva Tries Harper's First Cacio e Pepe
23:27 - Let's Put the Cacio e Pepe Obsession to Bed
24:03 - Pasta Grammarian in Action!
#cacioepepe #recipe #foolproof
Have you ever tried to make Cacio e Pepe? How did it go?
I didn't have a problem making it but I didn't think it was a life changing as everyone said it was going to be. I'll try again with a better cheese on Eva's advice.
it sometimes comes out a bit runny/watery and I’m trying to drain off extra liquid instead of it all absorbing
È uno dei piatti più semplice al mondo, ma è anche uno dei piatti che difficilmente riesce come deve. Nella maggior parte dei casi il formaggio diventa grumi e non fa la classica cremina. Per quanto riguarda la scelta del Pecorino, questo si può fare in Italia, ma all’estero come nel mio caso (io vivo qui in Germania) è già una grande cosa se io trovo UN tipo di pecorino, non ho scelta tra vari tipi di pecorino.
I've made it several time but I have to say I am not a big fan. Its simple and quick but not my first choice for a pasta dish. I will have to try it again while I am in Italy to see if the better cheese makes a difference.
@@LarryStrawson If you eat a "Cacio e Pepe" (one of the four most famous Roman dishes) in Rome done right, you will see that it can become one of your favorite Italian dishes. It is one of the most delicious Italian dishes! Unfortunately, the problem (and I say this as an Italian) is that this dish is sometimes "hated" because it doesn't come out the way it's supposed to come out. And so when a dish doesn't come out as it should, people try to "hate" it. When the dish is ruined, it's not that you really "fall in love" with that dish. It is one of the simplest dishes in the world, but as usual, simple dishes are often the most difficult to make well.
Its crazy how a pasta dish with 3 ingredients could be the most difficult italian recipe ever
I imported my Pecorino Romano straight from Italy, it was shipped ‘Overnight’ in a refrigerated package, and the pasta I used was spaghetti from la Molisana, and it still made a ball, Vincenzo! lol
! (:
Well, by following your method, it's not difficult at all Vincenzo. The key is follow those who know what they are doing.
I use your recipe Enzo. I actually live on many of your recipes! Respect from Western Australia. Grazie
It isn't.
Another “secret” tip I discovered (and that I’ve never seen mentioned anywhere online) is that the foamy part of the pasta water contains the most flour/starch. Always when you boil anything, the “impurities” (in this case, just the starch) rises to the top and gets collected in the bubbles. So if you grab pasta water with as much foam as you can, the starch in it will help with the emulsification.
I’ve even added a little corn starch to the pasta water if I’m making a small batch and not enough starch in the water. Worked great.
true!
Yeah, I always try to get the really starchy part of the pasta water too! Lol.
I tried grinding up broken pieces of pasta with a coffee grinder (the cheap blade kind) to a powder, then adding them to the water before I put the pasta in. I don't know if it did anything, though.
@@nhf7170you could just achieve the same with a spoon full of flour and save yourself a lot of effort
This young woman is so full of ancient Italian wisdom. I love this channel.
People don't realize that the starch from the pasta is the binder and that is why you don't need xanthem gum or cornstarch.
Yes they realize, but many nowadays pasta is too "good" and do not give the starch out enough. Thats one reason people are now after the "trafilata al bronzo" pasta, as it has the "whiteish skin" which gives easily the starch out. And thats the reason in this video was talked about fresh pasta.
@@OKuusava Jepp fresh pasta releases a lot of starch...
But cornstarch is super easy to use. Why not use cornstarch?
@@ThirdLawPair Because it's bland and tasteless and doesn't add anything to a dish except for chalkiness.
@@ThirdLawPair you need a liquifier, this can be hot fat or hot water... and the cheapest option simply is to use the pasta water which has both, starch and hot liquid...
I would also mention to use freshly grated cheese. Using cheese that's been shredded and refrigerated will also create clumping problems.
Came to comments to say this. Vote up! Pre-shredded cheese tends to be unrecognizable and contains anti-clumpsing agents.
Pre shredded cheese is often coated in potato starch to keep the shreds separated
I also think that pre-hredded cheese isn't usually as finely grated for what you need. Eva mentions this in the video. Use a microplane to get the right fineness.
@@MyFocusVariesand/or cellulose.
As a general rule, I always say read the labels, and if there’s something on there that wasn’t in a jar in your grandmother’s kitchen (xanthan gum? cellulose? come on), you don’t want it on your plate.
Note she used a (comparatively) small amount of water. The reason is that you want the starch from the pasta water as the emulsifying agent. So if you cook the pasta it in less water, you get more starch in each ladle.
I was also going to make a comment about less water = more starch. It is how I "foolproof" these kinds of sauces. You beat me to it. 😊
There is a reason that they reuse the pasta water at Alfredo alla Scrofa. They get a lot of starch in the pasta water!
@@astridrg Learned this from Alex, czcams.com/video/q8kTWNwUD88/video.html&ab_channel=Alex
People use more water than that..? That seems so unnecessarily wasteful (water and heating) 😅
@MaztheMeh16 So in my case I was taught how to make pasta by an Italian who told me to use lots of water, this gives the pasta room to boil and be stirred without sticking together. But over time I began overcompensating and trying to hard to use lots of water. So even though I was taught by an Italian I eventually needed a second course correction.
Just for giggles made this today (first time having Cacio e Pepe), following the instruction exactly and was extremely amazed just how transformed by how simple this disj really is and how elevated the taste was. For anyone that would think that "wow, that's a lot of pepper", by heating the pepper and infusing the sauce this way, just give the entire bite a unique flavor. For those that worry that the pasta will cool too much, the pepper takes care of that. The cheese melted perfectly and made such a creamy sauce. Aglio e Olio used to be my quick go-to, but changed with this dish. Thanks.
Brava!!! I have been making Cadio e Pepe for years. The grandkids know it as Italian Mac & Cheese. I am happy to say I make it exactly the same way as Eva. My wife loves it. NO olive oil, Xantham gum, corn starch - OY. And yes using the proper grater and cheese is very important. Well done guys.
I think "clumpsy" is an excellent description of my cacio e pepe!!!!
(:
CZcamsrs love Complicating simple dishes. Thank you for simplifying it, without having to make up unnecessary "science " stuff.
Exactly. "Pecorino" in Italy is a tricky word because it covers a broad spectrum of very different sheep cheeses.
This was very important to learn. I had no idea.
Not tricky at all, as we know there is at least 300 diff pecorinos, but the one you are after is simply "pecorino romano"
Exactly. Here in Italy every single region has several types of Pecorino, which for us are often referred to a city. Plus there are different Pecorino cheese based on ageing and or amount of salt.
Pecora=sheep, pecorino=cheese made with sheep milk. => hundreds of not thousands of pecorino cheeses!
I tried Pecorino Toscano. It wasn't the same.
@@thereccher8746 I wouldn't use pecorino toscano (which is a broad term just like "pecorino" as there area tons of pecorino cheese in Tuscany) for cacio e pepe, unless maybe very well aged. Pecorino techno is usually meant to be eaten raw, or with honey / onion jam and such. Long life to pecorino!!
Eva, you're so honest and smart. Never change!
I've also had the clumping issue and, surprise surprise, I was adding all the cheese to the super hot pasta, thinking it needed to be super hot to melt the cheese... 🤦 I will be giving this method a try. Thanks so much Eva and Harper!
Me: hmmm...maybe it's not hot enough...
Hehehe! I know, right??
But I have seen Italian chefs specially in carbonara that like the clump so to each its own
It's the same thing if you're making a cheese sauce with cheddar, you have to turn the heat completely off when you add cheddar to the sauce or else it really will split
I had been trying the cheese paste method from Vincenzo, never worked for me lol. This method looks like it will work perfectly.
Edit: right after I posted this, I saw Harper mention that method 😅
Totally makes sense without any gimmicks. Thanks for this.
I tried to make cacio e Pepe just once. I used a cast iron skillet that stayed hot. Let’s just say I ate something else that night.
Lol..
For the record Babish is NOT my favorite internet chef. No way. I like your channel, and also Brian Lagerstrom's. Straight forward and reliable.
i will check out lagerstrom. and i can't stand babish. eva and harper's recipes are stellar. especially the paste di mandorla. i highly HIGHLY recommend it!
Babish's understudy who does all the pop culture dishes is better... Babish himself tends to butcher things.
Unfortunate to have see trash talking for different content creators under under ppl’s videos. Ppl can’t all succeed, they can only succeed if someone has to “lose” and be insulted
Luckily I’m already subbed here but if I wasn’t it would be such a turn off cuz I had fan bases like this
Chef. John.
At this point the only channels I trust are Eva and Harper, Vincenzo, Helen Rennie, French Cooking Academy and, as always, Chef John.
Cacio E Pepe has become my daughter favourite dish, she love how simple it is and tasty. The way we have been getting rid of the clumps. has been putting the cheese into a bowl and as the pasta cooks, I add a small amount of pasta water at time and mix it well and at the end slowly adding into the pasta mixing and tossing. Works pretty well
Another trick I learned to get more starch out of dried pasta is to boil the pasta in much less water than you normally would. Although it takes a bit more attention while boiling, using less water concentrates the starch for the sauce.
I do this too! Thought it was my own brilliant invention 😂
Technique is the hardest ingredient in a recipe like this. Most people don't have the patience for proper techniques.
You're so right, at least in my case. I don't enjoy standing in the kitchen stirring something for 3 minutes. Staying and doing nothing is torture.
Always said I'm better at growing the food than cooking the food.
Get a beverage, set the table... 3 minutes filled. 😂❤
You remain one of my favourite food content providers. Entertaining warm and easy to understand and follow.
These three different dishes have one thing in common: the right heat to get an emulsion of X and cheesy pasta water to keep the cheese from clumping:
- cacio e pepe (cheese, and pasta water)
- fettuccine al burro (butter, cheese, and pasta water)
- spaghetti alla carbonara (guanciale fat, egg yolk, cheese, and pasta water)
Eva is great with showing the technique and I love that all three just take patience, even if the ingredients (in the US) may not want to cooperate all the time. Thank you both!
I know it's not the point of the video, but I have to say it: Eva's hair is divine!
Te meriti la cittadinanza onoraria de Roma co 'sta cacio e pepe! Tanti non sanno che dopo averla "ripassata" in padella con il pepe deve riposare sennò, se ci metti il pecorino quando è troppo calda... fila come 'na sottiletta! Diversamente, si può preparare prima il condimento con il pepe ed il pecorino e l'acqua di cottura, poi si butta la pasta nella padella e si "manteca" a fuoco spento.
I love these 'reaction' type videos... It's good to see a critique of other peoples' styles (which are all valid in their own way)... and it gives a great context for the recipe or technique...
Apart from the likes of James Makinson who just seems to do reaction vlogs... what a load of C***!!!It should be banned
Mahalo nui loa! FINALLY, after years of watching videos and thinking, “It can’t possibly be that complicated,” I finally have my “go to” recipe. I do recall two similar video recipes-one by a Japanese cook in his house, and another by an Italian cook in a restaurant kitchen-but I couldn’t find them anymore because they’re now buried under all the BS “cacio e pepe hack” videos you alluded to. Once again, Pasta Grammar comes through. So grateful for your channel. Best to both of you.
Harper, "So it's fool proof?" Eva, "Si, for sure is Harper proof." 🤣🤣🤣What a great job Eva, not only did you debunk the network hype, you proved that anyone can make cacio e pepe. Yes, even Harper! 🤣🤣🤣The obsession with cacio e pepe falls into the category of obsession over mac and cheese... simple foods don't need special ingredients or methods. Great video! ❤
I have both cheeses from Costco! I make sure it has the red medallion showing it's from Italy. We may do this tonight for dinner! Thank you! Sounds delicious! Harper, you did great! Hopefully I can do the same! 😅
If you end up making it I'd love to know how it goes!
There’s a restaurant in NYC called Cacio e Pepe and they make the dish table side in a big wheel of pecorino. I visited there many years ago ; it’s still there.
we want you to do "what I eat in a day" video and how you stay so slim with all that pasta around!
its a myth that pasta makes you fat. The key is to eat it always with some vegetable in. You might notice that most pasta dishes are pasta e broccoli, pasta e zucchine ect. thats how we stay slim ;)
Literally, the best episode evah! Something that should be simple turns out to be... simple. Good quality ingredients and the knowledge to use them correctly.😉
I just made my first Cacio e Pepe! The Cheese started clumping and sticking together, added alittle more pasta water seemed to help.
TASTES WONDERFUL!!!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!
I have seen and tried a lot of the recipes on YT for cacio & pepe, but you are the FIRST to address the temperature issue. I think it is the most important key for a good dish. And the mix with the two cheeses is a good tip 🙂
Bravo, Harper! No surprise that Eva hit it out of the park.
Cacio e Pepe is my go to. It’s quick, easy and delicious, and the best part is the ingredients are always staples in my house!
I had the clumpsyness problem too but made it like you showed with peccorino and parmigiano and it was VERY delicious!!!! Thank you!
I love the simplicity. Thank you!
“It’s Harper proof!” Lol. Great video!
Bravissima Eva: hai tirato fuori un altro italianissimo "uovo di Colombo".
I love it! The best episode of the best channel. ❤
Spectacular, excellent, brilliant, my standing ovation for both of you...
Thank you. I like to make a non-Italian dish where I put spaghetti with olive oil and lemon juice and lemon pepper spice in there with cheese and always get the clumping. I add smoked salmon chunks on top. I can use this method for my dish! It should also work to keep the clumping away.
Look up lemon pasta on CZcams, there's a few vincenzos plate recipes for lemon sauces that you might enjoy. In Italy there's several varieties of lemons grown in the summer, and they make amazing lemony sauces around the time fresh artichokes are available. You'll probably love other lemon sauces too if you enjoy the ingredients in them. ❤
I love your passion and your wanting and needing to teach us the absolute correct way to make each dish. Thank you. 😍🥰😘
I love that I met you guys on the streets of Rome. You two are wonderful! Thanks for being so sweet!
Thank you both so much!
Bravo 💜. Such a simple pasta to make. Thank you Eva and Harper. I’ll be making this soon. I love this channel.
Y'all are both beautiful souls for helping me understand REAL Italian cuisine.
Thank you for this video. People overthink it too much!
Grazie mille Eva! We are really looking forward to making this! You are the BEST! 🫶🏼
Kraig & Sue ♥️
You both are so wonderful! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your recipes, knowledge of Italian dishes and charming humor. It has brought me bowls of JOY!
North America messed up ossobuco, too - it used to be the cheapest cut on the shelf.
As for cacio e pepe, my dad (Fiorentino) insists that mixing the pepper with ground cheese ahead of time makes a difference. But as you are probably aware, there are as many variations in Italian recipes as there are streets in Italy.
YES! this is exactly what i needed! Thank you both
Great video. Probably the best I've watched on Cacio e Pepe, and as you say there are a few out there... Really simple but highlighting some crucial helpful points. Subscribed.
So many videos I've seen concerning cacio e pepe and this one is the easiest and the least stressful.
now just make it? ;-)
@@OKuusava I just might.😋
I cant wait to make it now~ ty for making it so much simpler than any other video on here.. Love your videos~
I will have to retry this dish. A simplification such as this video presents definitely makes more sense. Thank you!
It’s lovely, as is yr video guys. Yes most people tend to over complicate things- no problem they are insecure and afraid to fail! Best things in life aren’t complicated- yet shine in perfect simplicity ❤
Great work figuring all this out. Bravo!! 👏🏼
Like the longer hair Harper. But sometimes hard to recognize you. Keep up the good work. I love you and your wife. So creative you two are.
Harper is rocking the long hair!
Simple and pure ingredients and a love for pasta. Thanks for the authentic technique of this dish.
That's why I love the way Italy cooks. Easy recipes simpel to do but fantastic taste......😋
I am using a lot of your videos to teach my kid basic techniques of pasta. So many amazing dishes are so damn simple! Basics! Quality ingredients. PASTA WATER, grating your own cheese. The little things that are seldom taught anymore. Bravo~! Love yall
More of Harper cooking in the future episodes! 🙏🙏🙏
Brilliant!! My son is getting ready to head off to college, so I’m teaching him simple recipes to make. He’s made cacio e Pepe before, but we’re going to try this version tomorrow. Simple ingredients cooked well usually gives the best results.
Eva enjoying Harper's pasta brought a smile to my face.
How have you guys not hit 1 million subs yet!? It's gonna happen, and I'ma be here for it!
I haven’t seen you guys pop up on my CZcams in maybe a year and I’m happy to be reminded of your channel, and I just wanted to say your hair looks really good at this length Harper
What a great episode! Thanks for simplifying a simple dish.
Currently eating the plate of cacio e pepe I just made following this and it's the best I've ever made! Thanks so much for this tutorial, great tips ☺️
Thank you for making this simpler than everyone else. Time to try!
Thanks for leaving all the science out of the process.
Thanks so much for the compliments! You guys are awesome! Keep up the amazing videos!
The best cacio e pepe I made was when I bought a wheel of pecorino sardo, it was sooo good. I loved it so much and my Egyptian friends went crazy over it, I had to do another round.
This video is a gem, bless your heart Harper and Eva
Awesome!!!! It is easy with your technique and patience, patience, and love! Ciao!
For those who are in Toronto, avoid the Tre Stelle brand of pecorino. To quote Eva, it is basically “a block of salt.” A pecorino from Whole Foods 100% worth the investment, given this recipe is only 2 ingredients.
Whole Foods has Pecorino Romano by Fulvi, which one person has recommended, though Whole Foods might have other brands. Are there other brands of Pecorino Romano you prefer?
Brilliantly presented. Excellent! And very important to point out some of the unnecessary over-complicated methods on UT 👏
This channel was a such a gem thank you! I will try it tonight. 😅
This video made me happy. Well done.
Ive never ever made or tried that dish before. It looks delicious and will make it, thank you Eva grazie mille x
Love you two ❤ I'm making this during the week
brilliant ... well done both of you
Thanks so much. Shared this with my aunt who recently bought 4 typesof pepper!
I must say I had such a fun time with this episode. It was almost therapeutic hearing her win very easily and very politely while watching those popular videos. This is definitely the exact way to make this and I feel the video now completes my understanding of the dish. Her reaction and comment after trying Harper's pasta is awesome.
Thanks so much for the demystify.. I actually found myself anticipating reasons for eg allowing a couple of minutes before adding the cheeses. It surprised me a little, until I realised how long I've been benefiting from Eva's knowledge. Can't wait to try this.
Ooohh!!!! A MUST make !!! This is The ONE !!!!
Well I made this for a friend tonight… Thank you guys… it came out perfectly!!!😋
That was just wonderful for someone like me. Thanks for the tips.
Great video! Thank you so much for posting! Cacio e pepe is delicious!!!! hence the 'obsession' with it!
Such a simple wonderful recipe. It’s in our rotation of quick dinners.
Bravissima Eva e grazie per questa calcio e pepe semplice e perfetta , fosse per me ti proporrei per una onorificenza per il tuo lavoro di promuovere la vera cucina italiana nel mondo insieme al nostro caro Vincenzo’s plate
You both did a wonderful job! I will try this in the near future.
As usual a great tutorial on a simple pasta dish.
Omg thank you for this. I tried your Cacio e Pepe previously and because of the cheese it was absolutely inedible due to the salt content (and I *like* salt). Can't wait to try again!
I like how Harper said he's bad at knowing when pasta is finished cooking and then immediately uses a timer for the cooling down period xD
I can vouch for the difficulty of making fileja/maccaruna - during last Fall's pasta grammar tour Eva had a pasta making class and when we were well into attempting to roll the maccaruna and failing, she blithely announced "....oh, this is one of the most difficult pastas to make" and everyone just looked at her...but, we persevered....sort of...
That’s brilliant, great job
i'm not italian but i'm a big fun of this dish, because it's simple and spicy. i experienced a lot with it, and found, that a little grana makes the sauce more smooth, and adding different peppers (my favorite additions are rose-pepper, sechuan pepper and green pepper) makes the dish more interesting. the technique i use is the same for any combinations: toast the peppercorns first, after that grind in a mortar. every other day i filter out the larger pieces but i like the bigger pepper parts as well. meanwhile i boil the water, add the salt (up to taste) and the pasta. cook until almost ready, after that boil the pasta with the grinded pepper together (and with some pastta water). if the pasta is ready, i turn off the heat, and wait some (1-2) minutes (if i added grana, i wait more), after that add the grinded cheese to the pasta, and stir like a machine. the sauce will be silky and homogeneous.
I love your nonverbal communication using your eyes, facial expression and your hands. It’s so good. It’s my favorite! 6:58
17:12
I'm really just so greatfull that you made this video! Just couldn't understand that hype about this dish the past two years (in the US)... Thought the whole time 'Pasta with Pepper and Cheese,- ....?!???'
So (: THANK YOU ♡