italian food

PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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“Cacio e Pepe” is undoubtedly the most minimalist among Roman pasta.
It´s secret lies in its wonderful creaminess, which is achieved by the perfect balance between its four main ingredients: pasta, water, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. (Because of the saltiness of the Pecorino, no additional salt is needed)
(A similarly simplistic, yet very different flavor and texture are present in “Spaghetti Aglio e Olio”, which, in its most basic form, contains only spaghetti, water, olive oil, garlic, and grated hard cheese. This is usually enriched with pepperoncini and/or arugula).
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When preparing Cacio e Peppe, there are a few RULES one MUST follow to achieve the creamy texture for which Cacio e Peppe is priced, otherwise there will be just “Pasta with Cheese and Pepper”, which is not too bad either, but comes in no way close to the magic of Cacio e Peppe.
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First, – grate the cheese as fine as possible.
Second, – take the pasta straight from the water to the pan with the cheese and pepper.
Third, – quickly and thoroughly lift the pasta with two forks or a tongue from the bottom of the plate to blend and achieve a creamy sauce when the moisture and starch of the pasta and the cheese combine to form a heavenly, creamy, delicious “sauce”.
Fourth, – use warm plates to mix and serve the pasta at once.
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And there you have it ! One of Rome’s and Italy´s most iconic, simple, delicious and wonderful dishes ! 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Recipe of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Pasta on ChefsOpinion
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PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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Preparation:
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: Use the very best quality available to you 🙂

: Pecorino, black pepper

: microplaned …..(VERY finely grated)

: add freshly crashed/ground black pepper to taste to the cheese

: add freshly crashed/ground black pepper to taste to the boiling water

: cook pasta until al dente

: move the pasta from the pot directly to the cheese/pepper

: mix quickly, if needed, add a bit of pasta water to get a very CREAMY texture

: plate on warm plates, top with more cheese and pepper, serve at once (Pls only prep 2 portions at a time)

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

: PERFECT Cacio e Pepe

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Casarecce Gorgonzola

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I was going to make a quick salami and gorgonzola sandwich, when I realized that I felt I had to treat myself to a better lunch than a simple sandwich, so I checked the larder for a few available goodies and the following is what I came up with. By the time the pasta was cooked al dente, I had all the other ingredients prepped and it took only about another five minutes to complete the dish. While I love a good sandwich, this dish was a far more rewarding lunch and it took only slightly more time to prepare.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Casarecce Gorgonzola

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute onions, salame, chillies and garlic paste in olive oil

: add gorgonzola cheese

: add heavy cream, simmer until gorgonzola is melted

: add quartered artichoke hearts

: add freshly ground black pepper and scallions

: add casarecce pasta

: mix until pasta is well coated with gorgonzola sauce, if sauce is too thick, add a bit of the cooking liquid from the pasta, check / adjust seasoning

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

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” Zuppa Pavese “

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There was a time when this was on nearly every Italian restaurant’s menu.
Unfortunately, over time, it was watered down at most places to a thin,
packaged chicken broth with a thin slice of white bread, an egg yolk and
a bit of crappy cheese sprinkled on top. Of course people stayed away from that crap.
However, when properly done, with love ( and a good appetite ), this soup is
pure soup-heaven.
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All about Zuppa Pavese
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Ingredients :

Chicken stock, seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg (or beef stock if you prefer)
Sour dough bread, thick sliced
Roasted garlic paste,
Whole egg, very fresh
Pecorino romano, (or parmigiano reggiano if you prefer)
Italian parsley, chopped

Method :

Spread some roasted garlic paste on bread, saute or grill on one side until golden.
Remove, sprinkle finely grated cheese on the other side, gratinate until golden.
Meanwhile, heat your serving dish until very hot. Heat your broth until simmering.
Place bread in serving dish, individual portion or family style, one large slice per person.
Carefully crack one egg on each slice.Ladle soup over eggs, careful not to break them.
The eggs should be covered by the broth. Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top.
The soup is now ready to serve, but if you like your eggs more done, bake in oven a few
minutes until the eggs are done to your liking.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Tortellini En Brodo ” (Shrimp Dumplings In Broth)

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When I was growing up in germany in the 5o’s, newly arrived immigrant workers who had started new restaurants featuring their own countries food, had opened up a whole new world of culinary delights to regular folk’s who could not afford to go to the more established restaurants. These restaurants were usually too expensive for the working class people. However, it was much more affordable to dine at one of the myriad of quickly sprouting ethnic restaurant’s, opened by families who had recently immigrated to Germany, which at the time was in dire need of workers to the fill hundreds of thousands open job’s during the “Wirtschaftswunder” years. I remember the first time I saw and had the opportunity to savor such exotic treats as pizza, gyros, cevapchichi, tortellini, shashlik, paella, baklava, gelato, etc, etc. It was a time of constant culinary adventure for our family. We tried to experience as many new dishes as possible and had a wonderful time exploring food we never before had heard of, much less seen or eaten. Like I said, there was a time (a few years after WWII ) when even pizza was new and exotic to us. One of my greatest favorites was “tortellini in brodo”. Here is my version of this great soup :
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This Image Source: BrowsingRome

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I have made these tortellini with frozen won ton wrappers instead of a regular pasta dough. The wontons wrappers cook much faster then regular pasta dough, so for the filling I used chopped cooked shrimp, mixed them with egg white, white wine, salt and pepper .

Bon Appetito ! Life is Good !
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