[RECIPE] Cacio e Pepe and its seafood variation, Cacio e Pesce

Cacio e Pepe is one of the classic dishes of Rome. 

Cacio is Roman for cheese.
Pepe is Italian for black pepper.

Back in 2016, I had the pleasure of eating at a fun restaurant (which is unfortunately no longer open), that created a variation of this classic dish. It used seafood! They called the dish: Cacio e Pesce (pesce meaning fish, and being a play on words from pepe). Even though the restaurant is now closed, I wanted to offer recipes for both the classic Cacio e Pepe AND its Cacio e Pesce variation. Both delicious!

Classic Cacio e Pepe recipe:

• Spaghetti (high quality pasta make for the best dish: Barilla or DeCecco come to mind)

• About 200 grams of Pecorino Romano (get the Italian import for the REAL Italian taste)

• Black pepper (grade it fresh onto the dish, don't get pre-graded pepper...)

• Salt for the boiling pasta water (ALWAYS salt the water)

1. Make sure the water is salted abundantly and bring to boil

2. Cook the whole pack of spaghetti to al dente (it'll say on the box how much time that is)

3. Drain pasta (but keep some of the pasta water aside, half a cup or so)

4. Put drained pasta back in the empty pot and add that pasta water to it

5. Grade the Pecorino Romano onto the pasta by hand, while the pasta is still hot

6. Use a fork or tongs to gently fold the spaghetti so they are fully coated (it should look thick)

7. Freshly grind black pepper to taste on top of it all (be generous with this, it's part of the dish)

The pescetarian version Cacio e Pesce recipe:

• Same ingredients as the classic Cacio e Pepe above

• Half a pound of fresh prawns

1. Perform steps 1 & 2 above

2. While the spaghetti is boiling away, in a shallow pan, heat extra virgin olive oil and sauté the prawns (I recommend with shell on for maximum flavor)

3. When cooked, set aside while you continue with steps 3 & 4

4. Add the prawns to the pasta

5. Proceed to steps 5, 6 & 7 above

Buon appetito!

~ Alice