Za’atar Cacio e Pepe | How to Make Perfect Pasta

How do you make a perfect pasta dish? You know an old adage. The way to Carnegie Hall is to practice, practice and practice… Well, it helps that Yotam Ottolenghi has tested the za’atar cacio e pepe recipe about a thousand times to get it right. With that, we only need to follow his working recipe and be successful in much less time. More important, he unlocks the key in producing the desirable texture for a pasta sauce: emulsify it by adding the right amount of starch-rich pasta water in which you cook the pasta.

Recently, I listened to this method at length in the Splendid Table podcast with Chef Douglass Williams of MIDA in Boston and Francis Lam, the host. It’s an eye opener! The Chef calls the process “dilution.” That means allowing the pasta (cooked to nearly al dente) to finish cooking and absorbing the sauce, together with some of the pasta water, in a separate pan. What follows is something magical: the sauce emulsifies and develops a lovely sheen. Then you know you’ve nailed it.

It sounds simple enough, but the process can be elusive. You may need to repeat it a few times to gain some experience and feel for finishing pasta this way — in the sauce. It’s not difficult to do. Getting good results consistently is a different matter. In the end, it’s the skill that separates the homecook from the restaurant chef. But it’s entirely within our reach.

Dare I say this is the best pasta dish I’ve ever made. It’s essential to follow the recipe to a T if you want to get a rich and creamy sauce. Besides the proper cooking process, observe closely the ratio of water to pasta and that of Parmesan to pecorino. To that end, I weigh all the ingredients, no more and no less — just exactly as the recipe specifies.

Using a wide pan and little water (see the recipe below for details) to cook the pasta is crucial because it ensures there is plenty of starch in the water necessary to getting the sauce emulsified. Grate the Parmesan and pecorino as finely as possible.

In addition to the procedure outlined in the recipe, I take an extra step to ensure every strand of pasta is separated and cooled. Transfer and spread out the drained pasta in a sheet pan and toss in some olive oil (not oil in the water) to prevent it from sticking. This is the tip I pick up from Chef Williams in the podcast. Moreover, the half-finished pasta in a sheet pan is particularly efficient when you’re cooking huge quantity of pasta. Prior to serving, finish the pasta by allowing the hot sauce to coat every nook and cranny.

Cacio e pepe is a remarkable Italian classic. To my surprise, the herbiness of za’atar adds a layer of deliciousness the goes well with the pepper and cheese. If you are a fan of pasta, this incredible za’atar cacio e pepe recipe presents a whole new dimension.

Notably, the recipe demonstrates the best practice on how to make perfect pasta. It boils down to: cook pasta to near al dente, drain, emulsify the sauce with pasta water, and twirl. Nonetheless, perfect execution takes practice. A well-tested recipe is a good place to start.

Print Recipe

Za'atar Cacio e Pepe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Salt
• 14 oz/ 400g dried bucatini (or other long pasta – adjust the cooking time, if necessary)
• 50g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 tbsp za’atar, plus 1½ tsp extra to serve
• 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 1/2 oz/ 130g parmesan, very finely grated
• 1 oz/ 30g pecorino romano, very finely grated
• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp marjoram leaves (optional)

Instructions

1

COOK THE PASTA: In a wide pan on a medium-high heat, bring 5 1/2 cups/ 1.3 litres of water to a boil, then season with 3/4 tsp salt. Add the bucatini and cook for nine minutes, until al dente, stirring every now and then so the pasta doesn’t stick together or to the bottom of the pan, and to ensure it remains fully submerged. Drain the pasta, and reserve all the cooking water – you should have about 2 1/4 cups/ 520ml left; if not, top up with a little hot water.

2

FINISH THE PASTA IN THE SAUCE: In a large, high-sided, nonstick saute pan on a high heat, melt the butter until bubbling, then add the za’atar and pepper, and cook, stirring, for a minute, until fragrant. Add the reserved cooking water, bring to a rapid boil and cook for five minutes, until it reduces a little and turns silky. Stir the pasta vigorously into the sauce, then add the parmesan in two batches, continuing to stir vigorously as you go, and waiting until the first half has melted in before adding the next. Once all the parmesan has melted, add the pecorino, continuing to stir until it has also melted and the sauce is smooth and silky.

3

SERVE: Transfer to a lipped platter, finish with the oil, marjoram (if using), the remaining za’atar and a small pinch of salt, and serve at once.

Notes

Adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/zaatar-cacio-e-pepe