Cacio e Pepe is a pasta dish featuring cheese and pepper. This version by Giada De Laurentiis adds some pops of flavor with pancetta and arugula. I super duper love it! I used bacon because I had a pack already open from another recipe earlier in the week. This is a great pasta main, but you can also rock it out as a side.
I did not use as much cheese as the recipe calls for as it seemed like….. a ton. I feel like cheese on pasta is a personal preference. The recipe also calls for a high-falutin cut of pasta but I just used a fusilli. Any short pasta will work.
Cacio e Pepe with Pancetta and Arugula
Course: Pasta, MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes25
minutesIngredients
Kosher salt
1 lb. creste di gallo pasta or favorite short pasta shape such as fusilli
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 lb. pancetta, diced
1 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving if desired
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups packed baby arugula, roughly chopped
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain well reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until pancetta is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper and toast it, stirring often, for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and scrape up any its that are sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the pasta and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add another 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to coat all of the pasta in the cheese. Add the pecorino and butter, and stir to combine, creating a light, creamy cheese sauce. Add the arugula and cook until wilted. Add additional reserved pasta water as needed to maintain the light sauce consistency. Serve with more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.
Please note: The Jersey Girl used bacon in lieu of pancetta because that’s what she had on hand. She also did not use as much cheese as the recipe calls for, using about 1/2 the listed quantities.
