Cacio e Pepe is one of my all-time favorite pastas. It’s simple yet elegant, rich yet subtle. And above all, it’s incredibly flavorful — in short, it’s perfect.

If you’re not familiar with this classic Italian pasta dish, allow me to break it down for you. Cacio e Pepe means “cheese and pepper,” and as the name suggests, it includes grated Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper and spaghetti. That’s it. The trick is reserving a bit of the salted pasta water and combining it with the spaghetti, cheese and pepper; the heat melts the cheese, and the starches in the water help bind the pepper and cheese to the pasta, forming a sauce. Cacio e Pepe is one of life’s great pleasures.

Consider this amped up version of the classic recipe. Onions, garlic and fresh corn are sautéed with butter and seasoned with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. A bit of the reserved pasta water is poured into the corn mixture, then an immersion blender goes to work forming it into a silky sauce. The pasta is tossed in the corn sauce to form a coherent creation, and finally, it’s all topped with fresh mozzarella, chives and additional pepper. The result is slightly sweet, slightly spicy and oh-so-delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 - 8 oz. box of spaghetti (we used Explore Cuisine’s Red Lentil Spaghetti)
3 large ears of corn, kernels removed
3 T. butter
1 yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. salt
1 T. nutritional yeast
Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
Fresh mozzarella cheese or burrata, torn into pieces
Freshly chopped chives, to garnish

STEPS

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and pour in a splash of olive oil (this prevents the pasta from sticking together). Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Scoop out 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta, drizzle with additional olive oil and set aside.

2) Return the pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add the butter and, once melted and foamy, add the corn, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Season well with lots of freshly ground black pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

3) Add the nutritional yeast, toss to combine, then pour in the reserved pasta water and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

4) Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to purée the sauce until mostly smooth (I like to keep about 1/4 of the corn kernels whole). Pour the spaghetti into the pot with the sauce, and use tongs to toss the pasta so it’s well-coated. Plate immediately, topping with the fresh mozzarella and chives.