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Cacio e Pepe

by Giuseppe Federici from Cooking with Nonna

Made with an easy homemade vegan cashew Parmesan, this plant-based take on the classic Italian dish is just as creamy and satisfying as the original version. Store the extra Parmesan in the fridge to make it even easier to whip up a bowl of pasta in just 15 minutes.

From the book

Giuseppe Federici

Introduction

When I asked Nonna to help me make a vegan cacio e pepe she laughed in my face – but I was intent on veganizing this classic Italian dish. It’s so much simpler than you think, and it uses my homemade cashew Parmesan, which I like to make in bulk and store in the fridge.

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Ingredients

350 dried linguine, bucatini or spaghetti
8 tbsp olive oil, approx. 150ml
1 tsp coarse, freshly ground black pepper
For the cashew parmesan:
120g raw cashews
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp flaky salt

Essential kit

You will need a small food processor or blender.

Method

Place all the ingredients for the cashew Parmesan in a small food processor or blender and blitz to a fine powder.

Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pan of salted boiling water. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 200ml of the pasta water before draining.

Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the ground pepper. It should sizzle immediately. Give it a stir and quickly add 5 tablespoons of the cashew Parmesan. Stir for 30 seconds to combine, then pour in the reserved pasta water.

Raise the heat to medium-high and bring quickly to the boil, stirring all the time. Boil until the sauce has thickened and is rich and creamy. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until fully coated. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Serve in bowls, with the extra cashew Parmesan on the side to sprinkle over.

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From the book: Cooking with Nonna

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