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Cacio e Pepe
From the book
Cooking with Nonna
80 plant-based recipes for classic Italian dishes.
Authentic home cooked family favourites with a vegan twist.
From basics and staples, to impressive crowd-pleasing dishes.
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Introduction from Giuseppe Federici
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.
Ingredients
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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