A Piedmont-Inspired Cacio e Pepe with White Truffles

Name: Cacio e Pepe with White Truffles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1/2 pound Spaghetti/Bucatini pasta; 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano (preferably PDO); 1/4 cup Caciotta with White Truffle; 1 teaspoon whole Black Peppercorns; Extra virgin olive oil; Salt

Chef Elena Salati of Cremini's restaurant in Brooklyn shares a recipe for the perfect Cacio e Pepe with a little secret.

By Elena Salati

10:00 AM EDT on October 31, 2023

Cacio e Pepe alla Elena at Cremini’s Apertivo & Kitchen.

I was born in Piedmont, and as Chef of Cremini's Aperitivo & Kitchen, focused on Le Marche cuisine, it was a simple connection to add white truffle into the classic Cacio e Pepe. We are talking about a classic but delicious recipe that uses just a few well-selected ingredients. One, above all, is Pecorino Romano (preferably PDO), a unique type of cheese with an unmistakable flavor that melts perfectly for the silky texture that, in part, defines this dish.

Chef Elena Salati of Cremini's Aperitivo & Kitchen making her Cacio e Pepe with a twist.

Our restaurant, Cremini's Aperitivo & Kitchen, is dedicated primarily to the food of Le Marche, the home region of Riccardo, my husband and partner. Cacio e Pepe originated in central Italy, an area that includes the region of Le Marche.

I was born in Piedmont in the north, and when I borrowed my husband's cookbook to learn the cuisine of Le Marche, I came up with the idea of tweaking the original recipe by putting in some white truffle, infused in soft Caciota cheese, which compliments the Pecorino Romano and adds to the creaminess of this wonderful dish.

We hope you enjoy the recipe at home and find an opportunity to experience the cuisine of Le Marche (with touches of other regions) at our little restaurant in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Buon Appetito!

Cacio e Pepe with White Truffles

Recipe by Elena Salati

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

1/2 pound 1/2 Spaghetti/Bucatini pasta
1/2 cup 1/2 Pecorino Romano (preferably PDO)
1/4 cup 1/4 Caciotta with White Truffle
1 teaspoon 1 whole Black Peppercorns
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Directions

Place a pot with water on the stove to cook the pasta.
Grate the Pecorino Romano cheese and transfer it to a bowl.
When the water has come to a boil, add salt, and throw in the spaghetti or bucatini (at Cremini's we use bucatini).
Chop the black pepper.
Pour the pepper into a large skillet and toast them over low heat using a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
Add a round of olive oil, add a few slices of Caciotta cheese with the truffle and stir until it becomes cream.
Drain the spaghetti 3 minutes earlier than the time indicated on the package (fresh pasta 1 minute earlier) and transfer to the pan.
Add some grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan, adding cooking water if too dry.
When the spaghetti is cooked, serve with the remaining grated Pecorino Romano and more freshly ground pepper to taste.