Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe is a Roman Italian pasta dish consisting of two key ingredients: cheese (“cacio”), and pepper (“pepe”). This simple dish is known as one of Italy’s oldest dishes and is thought to have been created by Roman Shepherds to sustain them on periods of work away from home as the ingredients were light for travel and would keep for a long time. Traditionally, this simple dish would consist of Pecorino Romano cheese, a sheep’s cheese known for its nutty & salty flavour and toasted Tellicherry Peppercorns, a pepper similar to the modern staple: black pepper, but known for its increased size, making for a less spicy yet more aromatic flavour. These key ingredients are then combined with spaghetti and salted pasta water to create a creamy and delicious sauce that really packs a punch.

Due to its small ingredient count and waste utilisation, we thought this would be a perfect dish to veganise and add to our low-budget meals roster. Instead of vegan cheese, we will be using vegan butter and nutritional yeast to replicate that creamy texture & nutty taste, as well as switching out tellicherry peppercorns for the more accessible black peppercorn. You can also add veggies or mock meats to make it a little heartier, too. The beauty of such a simple dish means that you can really make this one your own and get creative – enjoy!

Vegan Cacio e Pepe

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

25g vegan butter

1 garlic clove, sliced (optional)

200g spaghetti or linguine pasta

1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

65g nutritional yeast

250ml salted pasta water

Veg of your choice

1)      Add pasta to pan of boiling salted water and cook until al dente

2)      Meanwhile, melt butter in a frying pan and add pepper and cook until fragrant (~1 min). Then add sliced garlic clove and cook for 1 minute before adding your vegetables.

3)      Once the pasta is al dente and veggies cooked down, place your nutritional yeast in a bowl, add 150ml pasta water and combine into a sauce. Set aside another 100ml pasta water and drain or save the remaining water for a future dish.

4)      Add the pasta to your frying pan, followed by your “cheese” sauce, stir and cook until water is absorbed, gradually adding your remaining pasta water as needed.

5)      Serve hot.

Recipe & words by Hayley Lawson