Chef Roberto Marotta Papà, owner of Ardo restaurant, shared this Rico e Pepe recipe. “It is perfect for people to enjoy making at home”
A small background for this dish:
Ricotta is something that is made daily by a cheese farmer in Sicily. Roberto remembers getting excited when he would see the warm fresh ricotta brought home and on some days, his grandmother would make a simple pasta dish using the fresh ricotta. So it has always been a part of his Sicilian cuisine memories. The dish that we do at Dova is a Sicilian twist on a classic Roman dish of Cacio e Pepe.
Rico e Pepe
Yields one portion
Ingredients
– 100 gr fresh or dry spaghetti
– 80 gr fresh ricotta
– 30 gr aged Sicilian Pecorino
– 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Prior to starting you will need to smooth out your ricotta. This can be done in any standard blender until smooth.
2. Bring a pot of water seasoned with salt to a boil and add pasta
3. In a large pan, toast 1/4 of the black pepper in a pan on high heat
4. Add 2 tsp of the pasta water to the black pepper pan and turn off the heat
5. Add ricotta to the black pepper pan and whisk together. If needed, add in more pasta water for a smoother consistency and to loosen the sauce.
6. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Mix everything together
7. Add in the pecorino
8. late and finish with the remaining black pepper
