Ravioli Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe is one of Rome’s holy pastas, but that hardly means it’s sacred. Innovators have been repackaging the Pecorino Romano and black pepper combo for well over a decade now. Stefano Callegari was the first to innovate, serving cacio e pepe pizza at his numerous pizzerie. A dozen years ago, Gabriele Bonci used the duo to flavor supplì. The classic still reigns but a handful of trattorie and wine bars serve ravioli cacio e pepe, and more often than not, they are made by Mauro Secondi, a veteran fresh pasta maker, in his laboratorio in Torre Maura in Rome’s eastern periphery. In a subtle marriage of flavors, sheets of tender pasta cradle a ricotta filling seasoned with salty pecorino and piquant pepper. It’s best to dress the ravioli simply, just a drizzle of olive oil and a hint of butter, cheese, and pepper, and you’ve got a modern riff that still feels deeply Roman.
13 ingredients
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Ravioli Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients (13)
Ingredients (13)
For the pasta
For the filling
Instructions
Make the pasta: Pour the flour (2 ⅖ cups) into a large bowl and use your fingers or a spoon to form a large well in the center. Crack the eggs (3 large) into the well and gently beat them together with a fork. Working from the inside of the well to the edges, slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry work surface and knead energetically until it is supple and glossy, 7 to 8 minutes.
Form into a tight ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to rest for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Make the filling: Pour the ricotta (2 cups) into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl to allow any excess liquid to drain off, about 30 minutes.
Combine the ricotta, egg (1 large), Pecorino Romano (1 cup), pepper (1 tsp), and a heavy pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Transfer to a pastry bag or zip-top plastic bag and set aside in the refrigerator.
Roll the pasta: Unwrap the dough and halve, keeping the piece you’re not yet working with covered. Gently press the first piece of dough into a rough rectangle. Dust lightly with flour, then pass the pressed dough through your pasta machine’s widest setting.
Fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Rotate it 90 degrees and run it through the wide setting again. Repeat this folding and rolling process twice more to smooth and align the gluten network.
Begin reducing the roller setting one notch at a time. Run the dough through each setting once (no more folding) and lightly dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Support the sheet with your hands as it lengthens. Pass the sheet through the machine until it reaches the second-thinnest setting.
Comments
Purchase cookbook to comment