Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta) and Spinach with White Beans - Rome, Italy

[Guest guest]

adding this to the mothers' day buffet!

 

 

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Cacio e Pepe (Roman Cheese and Pepper Pasta) and Spinach with White

Beans

Salt

1 pound spaghetti

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

5 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 3 rounded handfuls

1 10-ounce box chopped frozen spinach

3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

 

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and salt it. Add

the pasta and cook to al dente. Heads up: you’ll need to use a ladle

of the cooking water (about ¼ cup) for the sauce right before you

drain the pasta.

 

Place a large skillet over low heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of

the EVOO, and pepper. Let it hang out until the pasta is done.

 

When the pasta is ready, take a ladle of the starchy cooking water and

add it to the butter-pepper mixture. Drain the pasta and toss it in

the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese in small

handfuls, then toss the pasta with tongs, until all the cheese is

incorporated into the creamy sauce. Add another ladle of cooking water

if needed, then season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2

tablespoons of the EVOO.

 

While the pasta works, defrost the spinach in the microwave for 6

minutes on high. Place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring

the water out. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the

remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, twice around the pan, then the

garlic. Cook the garlic for 2 minutes, and then add the beans. Add the

spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan.

Season the spinach and beans with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve the

spinach and beans alongside the hot pasta.

 

4 servings

 

Source: Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals. 2006 by Rachael

Ray.

Formatted by Chupa Babi in MC: 05.08.07

 

 

Express Lane Shopping List:

Go home! You have everything you need.

 

And make sure you have the following On Hand:

Salt • Spaghetti • Butter • EVOO • Black pepper • Pecorino Romano

cheese • Frozen chopped spinach • Garlic • Canned cannellini beans •

Nutmeg

 

Rachael Ray: This Roman dish is as old as the city’s seven hills. It

doesn’t get any easier, really. As a side, I fry up some garlic in oil

and toss it with chopped defrosted spinach and some rinsed canned

white beans.

 

ChupaNote: double the cloves and garlic. Oh, yeah.... don't forget the

red pepper flakes!

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