The allure of cacio e pepe lies in its simplicity, which consequently renders staunch traditionalists skeptical of any reinterpretation of the pasta with Pecorino and black pepper. Then along comes Errico Recanati, whose Ristorante Andreina in Le Marche holds a Michelin star. After more than a year of trial and error, Recananti has reimagined the preparation, presenting a grilled version called Cacio e i 7 Pepi that has won over Italian palates both local and beyond.
His restaurant, which pays homage to his grandmother, specializes in grilled meat. There, he reworks the pasta dish with the very grilling wood that adds smoke to his meat dishes. Recananti experiments with grilled dessert as well – chocolate soufflé and pineapple soup are two of his specialties.
The idea, Italian cuisine
In addition to infusing an Italian classic with regional flair (care of the Le Marche wood embers), Recananti incorporates inspiration from across the globe – a mixture of seven different types of pepper completes the dish. “I wanted this dish to be true, real, mine, that's why I worked so hard on it; the bite had to convince me.”
The Cacio e i 7 Pepi pasta is featured on the Fiamma (Italian for “flame”) tasting menu, which showcases the chef's experiments and novelties. It's one of his most popular, sought-after dishes, and its success led Recanati to “grillify” two other Italian classics: amatriciana and aglio, olio, e peperoncino.
The seven peppers
“Pepper is a great passion of mine because it helps me refresh and lighten all the meat I cook. To find the right ones, I searched for a long time. In the end, I found seven from all over the world that are perfect for this pasta," says Recananti.
The Timut pepper from Nepal emits a note of grapefruit while long pepper (or longo) from the Himalayas tastes like cinnamon once broken. The natural green jungle pepper from Vietnam adds a fresh vegetable note and then wild pepper from Madagascar adds some flair. There's also white pepper from Indonesia, Sichuan black pepper from China, and Sarawak black pepper from Malaysia. All the peppers unite, resulting in a kaleidoscope of scents and aromas.
The hat technique
The "smoke" project, which he also uses on fish and vegetables, allows Recananti to retain the necessary smoke by using grills of different heights. Once the food is placed on the grill, he implements what he calsl the “hat technique." This involves covering the food with a bell lid – it must be covered entirely to ensure uniform cooking. This closure strikes a balance between the point of fire and the point of smoke, allowing the smoke to intensify and flavor the dishes.
The Cacio e i 7 Pepe recipe follows. It calls for Pecorino di Fossa, a type of Pecorino from Emilia-Romagna that's been aged in a tuff pit. If you want to give the recipe a try and you can't find it, just swap for another type of Pecorino.
Also, sourcing all seven of the peppers listed above might be a challenge, so you use whatever pepper you wish. You can use just freshly ground black pepper or create a mix of your own.
Grilled Cacio e i 7 Pepi Recipe
Ingredients
3½ oz./100 g. per person (Benedetto Cavalieri) spaghetti
2½ oz./70 g. Pecorino di Fossa from Cau & Spada
2 oz./60 g. Parmigiano 30 months
butter to taste
black pepper
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for around 8 minutes.
Let the pasta sit in the water at around 140°F/60°C for 5 minutes. Drain and then submerge the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking. Don't discard the cooking water – you're going to need it for the sauce.
Sauté the spaghetti on the grill for 6 minutes using the above hat technique to intensify heat and aromas.
Prepare a creamy cheese sauce by combing the Pecorino di Fossa, Parmigiano, and a little pasta cooking water.
Mix everything: pasta, cream, the seven-pepper mixture (or whatever pepper you're using), and a little butter to taste.
Serve with freshly grated Pecorino di Fossa and freshly ground pepper.