There’s a reason that Italian food is widely considered to be the best in the world, and that reason is simplicity. Italians value simple recipes well-executed with high-quality ingredients, and one of the best examples of this is cacio e pepe. A Roman dish that literally translates to ‘cheese and pepper,’ cacio e pepe is typically made with tonnarelli or spaghetti. That said, we thought it would be fun to mix things up and create our own cacio e pepe with another Italian staple: polenta. Read on for the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup polenta
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt.
- Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking as you go to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- In a separate pan, melt butter over low heat. Add black pepper and toast it for a minute to enhance its flavor.
- Once the polenta is thick and creamy, gradually fold the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, stirring until smooth.
- Pour the peppered butter mixture into the polenta and continue to stir until well combined. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove from heat and let it rest for a couple of minutes to allow flavors to meld and polenta to set.
- Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper for garnish. Enjoy!
