Revisited Cacio e pepe recipe to pair with good clean cabernet
Fall wine season is here and we are cooking and drinking with all the flavors of fall. Inspired by harvest time in the Good Clean Wine vineyards and fig season in Tuscany, Eliana the Italiana created this Cacio e fichi recipe for us in the good clean kitchen. It's a fig version of the famous Cacio e pepe pasta originating in Rome made with cheese and pepper. See here how we made it and the saffron semolina pasta using a sea shell to shape the pasta.
Ingredients
salt
8 oz. saffron semolina pasta
black and white figs sliced into quarters
cured pancetta
2 tbsp. butter divided
1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese for serving
Directions: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil. Add a generous amount of black pepper and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pancetta and cook until crispy. Remove pancetta from pan, leaving the oil from the pancetta in the pan.
Add quartered figs to pan and sauté. Cook fresh saffron pasta and grate parmigiano cheese while figs are simmering. Add cooked pasta and pancetta to pan with simmering figs.
Add 1/3 cup reserved pasta water and whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and toss.
Plate pasta and top with parmigiano cheese, and freshly cracked pepper and salt. Garnish with fresh fig and parsley and pair with good clean cabernet.
