Homemade pasta is a favourite meal of mine, and it’s simpler to make than you think. My Asparagus Cacio e Pepe with pici pasta doesn’t require any specialist equipment and creates a bouncy, sexy pasta in less than an hour.
The name ‘Cacio e Pepe’ sounds a lot more complex than it actually is, so don’t let it worry you. Its direct translation is simply ‘Cheese and Pepper’ — is there anything better?
ASPARAGUS CACIO E PEPE
I’m a big believer that homemade pasta can rival that of any restaurant. Here, the combination of freshly made pasta pici with thinly sliced asparagus, united in a creamy cacio e pepe sauce, makes for a bright springtime meal.
Ingredients
- 55 g salted butter
- 2.5 tsp whole black peppercorns crushed in a pestle & mortar
- 150 g asparagus sliced into very thin strips
- 70 g pecorino or parmesan (or a mixture of both, which is what I do) finely grated with the star side of a box grater
- salt
PICI
- 200 g ‘00’ flour
- 90 ml warm water
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- coarse semolina for dusting
Instructions
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Start with making the pici. Pile the ‘00’ flour on a clean work surface and make a deep well in the centre. Sprinkle the flour with a pinch of salt, then gently pour the water and olive oil into the well. Use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour from the sides of the well into the water, then, as the mixture starts to thicken, use your hands to knead in the rest of the flour. Continue to knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, lightly dusting your work surface with flour, if needed. If your dough is struggling to come together, you can add an extra dash of water, 1/2 tsp at a time. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes before kneading for a further 4-5 minutes, or until you have a smooth, springy ball of dough. Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
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Divide the pasta dough in half and flatten each part into a rectangular shape approximately 3mm thick. Slice the flattened dough into 1.5cm strips, then use the palms of your hands to roll each strip into a long, smooth strand, placing each finished pici on a baking tray dusted with coarse semolina as you go.
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Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the crushed black pepper and toast for a minute or so, until it releases its fragrance.
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At the same time, cook the pici, along with the asparagus, in salted water for 2-3 minutes, until both are al dente.
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Add a ladleful of pasta water into the pan with the butter and black pepper and stir well to emulsify the mixture. Then, use tongs to lift the pici and asparagus from their water and into the pan. Scatter the pecorino/parmesan over the top, allow everything to sit for 30 seconds, and stir well. If the sauce is too thick to cover all the pasta, add a little more pasta water and stir again. We are looking for something nice and glossy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of salt, if you think it needs it.
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Divide the pasta between bowls and serve immediately, with a few shavings of extra pecorino/parmesan, if you like.
If you loved this Asparagus Cacio e Pepe recipe, then you’ll love my Burnt Aubergine Cacio e Pepe recipe. Or watch how I make it over on my Instagram.
Just tried the Asparagus Cacio e Pepe recipe and wow—it was so good and incredibly easy to make! I whipped it up on a weeknight and it came together super quickly. Simple ingredients, big flavour—perfect comfort food for a cool Canadian summer evening.
One tip though: don’t skip the semolina for dustin. I didn’t have any on hand and laid the pasta on a dish where some pieces overlapped… big mistake. By the time I went to drop it in boiling water, a bunch had stuck together and I couldn’t save some of it. Lesson learned.
Thank you Georgie for the recipe—this one’s 100% going into my dinner rotation!!