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Pici Cacio E Pepe

Meaning ‘cheese and pepper’ in Italian, it really is as simple as that: pasta in a buttery, cheesy sauce, scattered with coarse ground pepper.

Serves 4

  • 400g/14oz vegan semolina dough
  • 75g/2¾oz butter
  • 4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 80g/2¾oz Parmesan
  • Juice of ½ lemon

You can of course use an egg pasta dough and cut it into tagliatelle using the cutter on your pasta machine, but if you are making pici, take your pasta dough and flatten it with your hands. Cut into thin strips and roll from the middle outwards. Dust with semolina flour and leave to one side.

To make the sauce, add the butter and half a ladleful of water to a large flat pan. Add the black pepper and a pinch of salt, stir gently, and leave on a low heat.

Drop the fresh pasta into boiling, salted water and cook for two to three minutes. Remove your pasta and add to the butter emulsion to finish cooking. Add half a ladle of pasta cooking water and cook on a medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and grate in your Parmesan. Mix gently and cook until the sauce thickens (the consistency should be similar to double cream). Add the lemon juice and serve with more grated cheese.