Photography: John Paul Urizar. Styling: Michele Cranston. Photochef: Kathy Knudsen.
A quick spring pasta that leans into the simplicity of classic cacio e pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper), with mushrooms adding earthy depth and texture. The key is lots of freshly cracked black pepper and a silky pecorino sauce that clings to every strand of pasta.
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Ingredients
Method
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups (375ml) of cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic, season and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Reserve a quarter of the mushrooms for serving.
Return pasta to the saucepan (off the heat) with 1 cup (250ml) of the reserved cooking water. Slowly sprinkle over the pecorino and black pepper. Stir vigorously for 1 minute, or until the cheese and water emulsify into a silky sauce.
Add the pasta mixture to the mushrooms. Toss over medium-low heat until everything is coated in the sauce. Add a splash more pasta water if needed. Season, then remove from the heat.
Divide pasta among serving bowls. Top with reserved mushrooms, parsley, extra pecorino and an extra grind of black pepper.
Cacio pepe add-ins
To add fresh green vegetables, stir in peas, baby spinach or asparagus ribbons in the final minute of cooking the pasta.
What is cacio e pepe?
“Cacio e pepe” is Italian for “cheese and pepper”. This traditional pasta dish embodies the ethos of Italian cooking – simple recipes made with simple ingredients. Here, we’ve added mushrooms in for a more hearty version.
What is pecorino?
Pecorino is the Italian generic name for cheeses made from sheep milk. This family of hard, white to pale-yellow cheeses, traditionally made in the Italian winter and spring when sheep graze on natural pastures, have been matured for 8-12 months.
