Cacio E Pepe with Spring Veggies and Crispy Prosciutto
{This post is sponsored by Sur La Table!}
I am so excited to share this easy pasta recipe with you guys today!
I was asked by Sur La Table to put my own spin on one of their spring dishes and I chose this Cacio e Pepe with Asparagus and Peas.I love Cacio e Pepe because it’s such an easy dish and the addition of the spring veggies elevates it to another level. This delicious spin on Cacio e Pepe is bursting with spring flavors, including peas, asparagus and fresh herbs. Once you have prepared your vegetables and shredded the cheese, the dish comes together rather quickly. I made it using the Demeyere Essential5 stainless steel skillet— which is only available at Sur La Table. This delicious pea and asparagus pasta is a marriage made in heaven. It’s pretty, elegant and full of flavor—guaranteed to please!
The original recipe is delicious as it is but of course, me being me, I added an extra ingredient or two to give it that extra touch of flavor and my own personal flare. All in all, it’s very similar to the classic pasta. Although this recipe is easy, it can get a little confusing, so to help you make this recipe successful, I added a few tips below:
The cheese: Use quality cheese and make sure it's finely grated prior to starting the dish. This recipe calls for Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano and Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) and those are the ones I used as well. The most important cheese in my opinion is the Pecorino Romano but if you can’t find it you can definitely just use Parmesan.
Pepper: This Cacio e Pepe has lots freshly cracked pepper—not table pepper. You can use as much or a little as you’d like, but remember, you are supposed to taste the spice of the pepper.
Pasta: Use a pasta that will hold the sauce. I used bucatini, but spaghetti works as well.
Starchy water is IMPORTANT: in order to get a beautiful sauce, you must use the pasta water. Once your pasta is al dente (don’t overcook), remove 1-½ cups of the water. The starch helps emulsify the cheese and the water to produce a creamy sauce and not a clumpy mess.
Vegetables: Slice the asparagus in even pieces and blanche the vegetables with the pasta in the last couple of minutes of cooking. This helps to keep the veggies crisp and still have flavor.
Cacio E Pepe with Spring Veggies and Crispy Prosciutto
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8-9 oz) package of fresh bucatini pasta, sub 8 oz of dried pasta
Salt, to taste
8 ounces asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup English peas, fresh or frozen
6-7 pieces of Prosciutto
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup Pecorino Toscano, shredded, plus more for serving
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, shredded), plus more for serving
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Fresh basil for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook until it is just under al dente. During the last minute of cooking, add the asparagus and peas. Reserve a ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
In an 11-inch skillet, on high, drizzle olive oil and place the prosciutto on the pan. Cook on both sides until crispy. Set aside and put the heat on medium. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter on the same pan. When melted add the fresh pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Stir until the butter has melted and the sauce is beginning to thicken, about 30 seconds.
Place the heat on low. Add the pasta, peas, asparagus, and all three cheeses. Toss until the cheese has melted and the pasta is cooked, about 1 minute. Add more of the reserved pasta water if the skillet seems dry. Season with coarse sea salt to taste. Serve, sprinkling each portion with more cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Add the prosciutto on top and garnish with more cheese and fresh basil.
Enjoy!
Find the original recipe here. Adapted from Dinner: Changing the Game copyright © 2017 by Melissa Clark. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
