Caccio e Pepe

I did not realize it when I opened the shop, but I have come to understand that my motivation for finding great products was to able to reduce the amount of time it takes to make and share a delicious and satisfying meal.  This week's experiment with my girl friends was after a long work day, so I needed something simple and quick, but  it also needed to make me feel nourished and full.  Natural choice is pasta, of course, but what to do?

Last week a customer told me that he was making Caccio e Pepe, and this was a new dish for me. Yes, I have tossed pasta with butter and salt and sprinkled with parmesan at least once a week for the last seven years, but Caccio e Pepe is different, trust me, it is so much better. This recipe is so simple, but produces a delicious, creamy pasta that was visually beautiful and I could not stop eating it (neither could Saskia or Bre).

So, how do you make it?  There are hundreds of recipes on the web, but I read a few and made it up, which is how I cook.  Here is what I did:

1. boil 1 lb of pasta ( I used spaghetti) in a large stock pot in well salted water

2. combine 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan & 1 1/2 cups grated Moliterno Al Tartufo (you can sub substitute pecorino) in a large pasta bowl

3. add 3 tablespoons butter and a good drizzle of olive oil (you can adjust this to your taste, I go heavy butter, well, because I like it that way, but most recipes were more olive oil.  The butter gave it a creamy richness that I would miss.)

4. add a cup of the pasta water from the pot and stir it into the cheese to create a paste.

5.  When your pasta is cooked but still has a good bite, pull it out of the water and add it to the dish.  Don't drain it, and do not worry about the pasta water, it creates a sauce when it is tossed with the pasta and the cheese "paste" that is already in the bowl.

6. Allow it to sit for a few minutes for the flavors to meld, garnish with more black pepper grated to your taste, and grated parmesan.

Lastly, guard your plate because this is that good.

You can use a lot of different products, but start with good ingredients and it will taste great.  In total this takes twenty minutes to prepare and you can feed four adults for about $35.  In terms of wine, I could go in a lot of directions, but red seems the best fit and I liked a simple inexpensive Nebbiolo with it!

Pop into the shop & we can help you get all the ingredients & you too can impress your friends.  Just don't tell them how easy it is!

eat, drink, and think, 

Maria

In a recent conversation with the wife of a Chablis producer, I felt validation in my love affair with Chardonnay.  When I asked her what types of wine she liked best, she said "when I drink white, I drink Chablis, of course, but sometimes, for something different, I like white Burgundy." Perhaps I need say nothing more than that, but really in this simple comment, there is an education in understanding the nuanced character of Chardonnay.

If you know me at all, you know that I adore Chardonnay.  You may think it is a bit cliché, but to me, it is just good common sense.  It is a varietal that is incredibly satisfying in all aspects, not to mention that it is the most widely planted varietal on the planet (so, I am not alone in my opinion).  What is it I like?  I like the mixture of familiar aromas: popcorn, caramel, pineapple, stone fruits, apples, the brine of oysters.  These are scents that bring me comfort.  On the palate, it has a delicate balance of power and elegance, this is always what I seek in wine.  Of course, the choice of oak use will change the wine dramatically, from rich and buttery in an oaked Chardonnay (yum) to the fresh and more acidic style of an unoaked one (Chablis reference making some sense now?).  In age worthy chards, sometimes you get a little oxidation, which can give the wine a little cheesey-savory quality, which I love.  And, the finish, the sense that you have just enjoyed a romp in the sea and lingering taste of the salt water is in your throat; or perhaps you have just finished some fresh oysters.  This is a sensation that invokes a feeling of carefree summer afternoons.  

Ready for a sip yet?  There are a few of the wonderful and varied Chardonnay's that we tried while visiting Burgundy and Babs had them open this weekend at the shop.  If you are anything like me, a card carrying member of the Chardonnay club, you will appreciate the chance to  experience the nuanced distinctions for yourself, and see if you understand Anne's comment. Start with the L'Eglise Chablis, which for $20 is a steal.  It is fine example of the fresh style of Chablis.  Then, progress to the Gautheron Chablis, which is also an unoaked chard, but is a little richer in style than L'Eglise.  Then, I suggest trying the Billard, where the use of neutral oak gives the wine a different texture and richer style, though it is still lean and fresh, the wine has a roundness that comes from oak.  

It has been a fascinating journey, but I am ready to return to Newport.  I will see you in the shop this week!