Cacio E Pepe Recipe

NOTE: This dish is very quick to make, so you want to be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped prior to starting. This recipe will yield 4 small entree portions or 2 generous lunch portions. It's very tasty the way it is but if you want to take it to the next level, consider adding some grilled chicken, or some tender greens and artichoke hearts.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound Box Dried Pasta
• Kosher or Sea Salt, to taste
• 2 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp White Pepper, ground
• 8oz Sweet Grass Dairy “Griffin” Cheese, rind removed, finely grated
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ sweet yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a medium sized stock pot with enough water to cook your pasta, salt it until it tastes like sea water (generally 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water), and bring to a boil.
2. When your pasta water is boiling, warm a medium sized saute-pan over medium heat.
3. Add pasta to boiling water, and stir frequently to prevent pasta from sticking.
4. Add olive oil to the pan, let it swirl around for a minute and then add your minced onion.
5. Cook onion over medium heat, stirring frequently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Continue to monitor pasta, stirring frequently.
6. Add garlic to pan, stir into onion mixture, and turn off heat. Season with a small pinch of salt. Add butter to pan stirring constantly until butter is incorporated.
7. When pasta is cooked, drain pasta in a colander, reserving about a 1/2 cup of pasta liquid.
8. Add cooked pasta to the saute pan with sauteed onion and garlic and butter. Toss to combine.
9. Add reserved pasta water, butter, ground black and white pepper, lemon juice and half of the grated cheese to the saute pan, Divide pasta between serving dishes evenly, and top each with some of the remaining grated cheese to taste.
10. Serve immediately.