It is a mixture of Italian regional cultures joining together to create a delicious pasta dish.
Traditionally from Piedmont, the Agnolotti are tiny pasta parcels filled with roast meat. The “cacio e pepe” refers to a very famous and much-loved Roman recipe of dressing a bowl of spaghetti with grated cheese and cracked black pepper. So I thought, why not put a Grana Padano PDO cheese ‘Cacio e Pepe’ filling into a tiny pasta parcel instead of using it only as a sauce? Well, it worked quite well for me and I would go as far as saying it is becoming one of my favourite recipes so far.
Chef’s tips: Never throw away the Grana Padano PDO cheese rind, it is always useful for resourceful cooks! In this recipe I use the rind to make wonderful, crunchy ‘croutons’ for added texture and flavour. Go the extra mile and use the Grana Padano PDO cheese “Riserva” for a full body, rich plate of Agnolotti.
Enjoy this decadent starter with a refreshing glass of Prosecco DOC brut.