Cacio e Pepe Pizza

Despite this October masquerading as some kind of summer vacation, I have innately been craving warmer, more comforting foods.  The heat can be punishing during the day (so I am still consuming incredible amounts of salad for lunches), but by evening our little cabin is cold enough for a piping hot bowl of stew and a fire dancing in the fireplace.  Or no fire if we're making pizza.  Much to Daniel's discontent, I insist upon preheating the oven for at least an hour before making the pizza, just to ensure that our stone is piping hot.  The pizza is really great, so he just has to deal with a 100 degree house for the evening.  It is a small sacrifice to pay for an excellent homemade slice, in my opinion.

Our newest pizza obsession is a riff on the classic cacio e pepe pasta dish that we fell in love with recently.  I had never thought of putting black pepper (let alone spoonfuls) on my pizza, but Daniel suggested it, then aced it, and now it is our new go-to.  Pizza parties are frequently enjoyed in our home.  If you come over for dinner, chances that we're serving you pizza or a roast chicken are extremely high.

The beauty of this pizza is that it is actually rather light.  It isn't bogged down with lots of cheese and sauce, but it still feels rich and indulgent.  Mushrooms add pleasant earthiness, which is balanced by the sweet onions and spicy black pepper.  Taleggio and parmesan add savory and intense cheesiness.  We always serve our pizzas with a zippy arugula salad, which generally is thrown on top of each slice as we eat.

And the wine!  This pizza is uber wine friendly - anything from a brooding Nero d'Avola to some spicy French Syrah will keep you happy, but our pairing was a lovely surprise.

Domain Rolet in the Jura region of France is family-operated and is lauded for their exquisite attention to detail and general respect for the land.  They make traditional, rustic wines and are proud stewards of their vineyards, which are planted in valuable limestone and clay soil.  This bottle of their 2010 Rouge Tradition (Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir) was an unexpected winner.  I personally love all of the lighter reds from the Jura region, but this particular bottle was more complex and earthy than I was expecting.  It had lovely deep cherry and plum notes with a good hit of black peppery spice, but still remained light and airy on the palate.  Herbal and soft.  For me, it is a near perfect red wine - it lingered in the nose and on the tongue, but wasn't overwhelmingly fruity or tannic.  With every sip or sniff a new flavor presented itself, adding layers and layers of exciting complexity.  And, even more wonderful is the price is square in my wheelhouse - just over $20. 

CACIO E PEPE PIZZA
makes one pizza

1 pizza dough (see my recipe here)
1/2 lb - 1 lb mushrooms, sliced (I always like more mushrooms on my pizza, your pick)
1 onion, sliced
taleggio
parmesan
2 - 3 tablespoons coursely ground fresh black pepper

Preheat your oven as hot as it will go, making sure to place pizza stone on the bottom rack.

Saute your mushrooms and set aside.  Saute the sliced onions until soft and sweet, set aside. 

Roll out your pizza dough.  Top with onions, mushrooms and black pepper.  Cover with grated parmesan and slices of taleggio.  

Slide into oven and cook for about 8 minutes, until crust is browning and the cheese is melted.  Let cool for a minute, then slice and serve!

Cacio e Pepe with Peas and Mushrooms

I'm having a fling with Italy at the moment.  All sorts of cheese and pasta and pizzas.  It is simplicity and freshness, combined to create extremely satisfying, indulgent, wine-friendly meals.  Perfect early summer fare for those still chilly nights, when turning on the oven is actually kinda welcome but eating a piping hot stew seems wrong.

This pasta recipe is a new staple in our weeknight repertoire.  It is e a s y and takes about 30 minutes - last night I had dinner on the table before 8pm, to which Daniel insisted was too early for his internal clock to handle and he would need a few more minutes to work up an appetite.  He kids.  More after-dinner time for Orange is the New Black + wine is a grand accomplishment thank you very much.

I adapted this slightly from The New York Times recipe for cacio e pepe with fava beans and peas, but the essentials are still there.  Cracked black pepper, pasta, cheese.  Make sure to coarsely grind your peppercorns because nobody, Daniel especially, enjoys whole nuggets of pepper that disconcertingly crunch between your teeth.  And don't forget the pecorino or wimp out when it would just be so much easier to only have to buy classic parm.  I feel you, but I was once informed that it is the king of cheeses and it is absolutely necessary to add the punch and creaminess that parmesan cannot.  More importantly that begs the question, but what (who?) is the queen cheese?  I'm leaning towards some kind of feta for her sharp wit and easy going deliciousness, or maybe a creamy, stinky blue - either you can hang with that bitch or not but she couldn't give a shit.  Anyways.

Chives are an unexpected and delightful garnish, so don't skimp.

Finally, don't forget the wine!  The sharpness and heat of the black pepper beg for a fruitier, juicier red.  Sticking with Italy, we enjoyed Andrea Oberto's 2012 Dolcetto D'Alba from Piedmont.  While better known for their serious Barolos, this producer has the skills, experience and some damn good grapes, which are handled with the gentle adeptness of someone who has been in the vineyards his entire life.   The finished wine has a fresh, fruit-forward nose followed by subtle tannins, happy notes of plum and blueberry, and a faint earthiness.  A little kick of acidity kept it alive while still finishing with a lovely roundness and depth.  All in all, a wonderful weeknight wine for our wonderful weeknight pasta.  A meal to be played on repeat.

CACIO E PEPE with PEAS and MUSHROOMS
serves 3 - 4

12 oz pasta of your choice; spaghetti is most traditional
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated pecorino 
1/2 cup grated parmesan
olive oil and sea salt, for serving
clipped chives, for garnish

Bring a small pot of salted water to boil.  Add a pinch of sugar.  Blanch your peas for 2 minutes and immediately drain and transfer to a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl of ice water. 

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until just 1 minute shy of al dente.  Drain, reserving 2/3 cup pasta water.

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan.  Season with salt as you cook.  Set aside. 

In a large skillet, melt 1 1/2 tbsp butter.  Add the cracked pepper and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.  Add about 1/3 pasta water and the rest of the butter, letting it simmer for about 30 seconds, or until slightly reduced and thicker.  

Add cooked pasta and cheeses, tossing until the cheese melts.  Add mushrooms and peas, tossing to coat, adding more pasta water if it appears dry.  Season with salt to taste.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, chives, and more grated cheese.