Thursday, April 4, 2013



SPAGHETTI WITH CACIO & PEPPER
(AND A SECRET INGREDIENT)

SERVES 6 - 8 PERSONS

INGREDIENTS

16 OZ. SPAGHETTI
6 OZ. PECORINO CHEESE - GRATED
7 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER
1 TABLESPOON SALT
3 TEASPOONS COURSE GROUND BLACK PEPPER
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
 WHOLE VANILLA BEAN
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW ON HOW TO PREPARE YOUR VANILLA BEAN)


BOIL PASTA PER STANDARD BOX DIRECTIONS UNTIL “AL DENTE”
DRAIN PASTA BUT DO NOT RINSE

MELT BUTTER IN LARGE SKILLET AND ADD PREPARED VANILLA BEAN AND KEEP ON LOW HEAT 5 MINUTES

REMOVE SKILLET FROM FLAME AND ADD THE HOT COOKED PASTA, CHEESE, SALT & PEPPER

TOSS TOGETHER ADDING MORE SALT AND/OR PEPPER TO TASTE

COVER SKILLET FOR 3 MINUTES

REMOVE VANILLA BEAN

SERVE IMMEDIATELY ON WARM PLATES

DRIZZLE EACH SERVING WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
-

HELPFUL HINTS

 PECORINO CHEESE IS ACTUALLY CACIO CHEESE.  CACIO IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THIS STYLE CHEESE FROM TUSCANY, BUT THE NAME WAS CHANGED AFTER WW II TO PECORINO.   YOU PROBABLY WON’T FIND “CACIO” ON A LABEL.

YOUR PASTA SHOULD BE DONE “AL DENTE” BECAUSE IT WILL COOK SLIGHTLY MORE WHEN STILL HOT AND COVERED IN THE HOT SKILLET.

 IF YOU COOK WITH SALTED BUTTER THEN CUT DOWN THE AMOUNT OF SALT YOU ADD SLIGHTLY

 IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO TAKE THE SKILLET OFF THE FLAME BEFORE ADDING THE CHEESE OR IT WON’T BLEND WITH THE PASTA PROPERLY

WARM PLATES HELPS THE PASTA STAY HOT LONGER.  YOU CAN HEAT MOST PLATES IN THE MICROWAVE IN A STACK

PREPARING A VANILLA BEAN


BE SURE TO PURCHASE ONLY WHOLE VANILLA BEAN PODS

LAY THE VANILLA POD ON A FLAT CUTTING SURFACE.
UNFOLD THE BEAN
USE THE TIP OF A SHARP KNIFE TO CUT OFF THE DRIED TIPS (SAVE)
CUT A SLIT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE BEAN POD FROM TIP TO TIP

FOLD BACK THE EDGES OF THE POD TO EXPOSE THE TINY BEANS

USE THE BACK OF A SMALL SPOON TO SCRAPE THE LENGTH OF THE POD AND COLLECT THE SEEDS INTO ONE BALL

USE THIS PORTION OF THE POD TO ADD TO A CAKE BATTER, PIE CRUST OR COOKIES.  BASICALLY ANY THING THE CALL FOR VANILLA IN THE RECIPE.

MAKE SURE TO MIX THESE LITTLE JEWELS OF FLAVOR GENTLY AND EVENLY INTO THIS BATTER.

THE HUSKS THAT REMAIN WILL BE USED IN YOUR PASTA RECIPE ABOVE.

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