Creamy baked cacio e pepe potatoes: the easy side dish that everyone loves!
Some dishes are born from the simplest ingenuity and end up bordering on perfection. These cacio e pepe potatoes are inspired by one of the great icons of Roman cuisine: the pasta of the same name, made only with pecorino cheese and black pepper.
Ingredients · Servings 2
- 450g of potatoes
- 60g of grated pecorino romano
- Whole black peppercorns (freshly ground and to taste)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt (amount to taste)
Method · 45 min
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges or cubes of the same size. Rinse them under cold running water to remove excess starch and let them drain well.
- Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 4–5 minutes, just to soften them slightly without them falling apart.
- Drain with a slotted spoon, reserving some of the cooking water, and dry them with kitchen paper.
- Transfer them to a bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix so that they are evenly coated.
- Place them in an ovenproof dish and roast for 25 minutes at 200°C, stirring halfway through cooking so that they brown on all sides.
- Meanwhile, place some pecorino cheese in a bowl and gradually add the cooking water, whisking until you have a smooth, thick cream. Alternate adding cheese and water until you reach the desired consistency. Add more black pepper to taste.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, pour half of the pecorino cream over them, and mix gently. Return the dish to the oven and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, until a golden crust forms on top.
- Remove from the oven, add the remaining pecorino cream and serve immediately, nice and hot and creamy.
