Thank you for showing what bad looks like wrt the emulsion, in addition to what it should look like. As a visual learner who's trying to improve my cooking skills this is perfect!
@@BrianLagerstrom Slightly (cough) off topic, but I'd very much appreciate a video covering making panini, the bread!, the coverings, the use of the contact grill. Love the channel, baked several types of bread, tried some recipes and techniques, thanks a LOT!
I greatly, greatly appreciate the "here's what it looks like when you do it wrong" examples. It might seem like "here's what it should look like" is enough, but that extra little bit of information really is helpful the first time you try a technique.
@@jensclarberg6419 it’s not very common, most cook in a large pot. The technique of using a fry pan to cook pasta comes from J Kenji Lopez Alt, whos a former chef and an author, also has a youtube channel. Tons of American cooking youtubers are influenced by him. He found that using a smaller amount of water to cook pasta gives a higher starch to water ratio in pasta water, which means you need less paster water to effectively stabilize the sauce. He normally used a 12 in fry pan bc it’s wide enough to fit dry spaghetti.
@@jensclarberg6419 well, there’s a reason italians have a reputation for taking their cuisine way too seriously lol. sometimes, you have to take a step and realize it’s not the end of the world someone boiled water in a fry pan
As someone who usually only cooks for one other person, I appreciate the single serving recipe. And I can't believe I haven't seen this in the comments but, as someone who was very broke a lot in my 20's, I ate A LOT of butter noodles and I'm pretty stoked to have a sort of grown-up, culinarily savvy version! Great vid as always!
Fresh Vegetables are the cheapest thing you can buy in the grocery store stop feeding yourself worthless carbs and get you some cabbage. I'm also very poor but I eat so well. Ketogenic is great. Ditch the pasta it'll only give you diabetes.
When cooking with Romano or Parmesano, or any hard cheese you want to grate, make sure to pull it from the fridge first thing before the rest of your prep. Just ten minutes on the counter makes a huge difference when you grate it. If it's too cold, you will get little dusty crumbs, rather than the soft, curly shavings Brian gets here. The latter melts into your sauce WAY easier that hard crumbles.
@@stephqnos With what they charge for Parmigiano Reggiano around here? I'd be afraid to microwave it. Also, my neighbor is from Italy and he might come crashing through the wall.
Hi, italian here: First of all, i appreciate your videos and i'm sure this tastes good, however i just wanted to point out (if someone wants the "traditional" one) that cacio e pepe is done with cacio e pepe, so no oil and no butter :) u just toast the pepper in the pan, than the sauce is just pecorino+pasta water Again, no italian nazi, would 100% eat that
I was thinking the same thing, called it the 'traditional version' then added lots of butter lol. It looks tasty regardless, but you know its an american recipe when there is troppo burro :)
Your videos are joyful, and I like your cooking, but what keeps me around is mostly your language! English is not my first language, and I first started learning it by watching cooking videos, I love cooking and it's pretty straightforward and therefore easy to understand. Soon after though there wasn't much more to be learned from these videos (linguistically speaking) because most cooks and chefs use very simple English, so I love it when I find someone talking food and using more elevated sophisticated language that I can learn from. Thanks for doubling the joy 👍
Hey B! Just wanted to give my two cents on cacio e pepe. At first glance this is more like a traditional Alfredo. In cacio e pepe there's traditionally no fat other than the cheese. I'm not necessarily against it though. Creating a perfect emulsion without butter is very difficult for a lot of people and I can see why some home cooks would prefer to play it safe and aid the emulsion with some butter. Regarding the recipe for a crowd that is actually a very nifty solution. In Rome restaurants would use something like that to prepare a "pre-emulsified" sauce as to worry less during service. There's a very good video by Luciano Monosilio on Italia Squisita about that. Lastly, I wanted to fact-check the Pecorino Romano thing. Pecorino Romano is well, from Rome. In Italy a lot of regions make their Pecorino (which is just sheep milk cheese). Sardinia is famous for theirs, and so are Tuscany and Calabria. Pecorino Romano, however, is a lot saltier than its peers. Hope this doesn't come across as rude in any way. Love your content B boy!
Agreed, though I will note that one of the best renditions that I've also had in Rome the chef uses a little bit of butter. No olive oil though. This is Ristorante Roma Sparita and it was Anthony Bourdain's favourite which is how I learned of it and then partook when visiting my parents (who live in Naples where I was born). They were in Rome when we flew in (for their anniversary). Anyway, the Chef let Bourdain into the kitchen where he filmed the secret (though derided) use of butter. He is not alone. I have made with and without butter and even my Roman and Neapolitan friends prefer the butter though I never tell them until later. Then the foodies are mortified. It truly helps incorporate the cheese. The starch in the water is the greatest help so super starch is important, but the butter fat keeps the Pecorino from clumping and imparts a hint of richness. To be absolutely clear I use a very small amount for a pot of pasta. Maybe 1-2 Tbs for 12 ounces of uncooked pasta which is how much I make for my family. What I find far more of a sin is to say that Pecorino Romano is from Sardinia. PRODUCTION has moved to Sardinia, but it is Roman (hence Romano) cheese from Lazio.
@@ElGrecoDaGeek I agree.. the foodie’s get crazy, not realizing the origins of the dish are very rustic countryside use of limited ingredients. They likely took pasta straight from pot or pan onto their plate with some grated pecorino and pepper and mixed with their fork.
My dads side of the family is Italian and Mexican. When cooking they love sticking to traditional ways of cooking only. I love adding my own American twist to recipes! Traditional such a weird concept of cooking. It leaves zero room of creativity an imagination to make a meal fuller, greater with new passions. It’s always nice to follow a recipe especially when cooking something with deep roots, but never be afraid to improve and or experiment with recipes! 😇💚🔥
Hey Bri... I'm italian and loved the video (as I love all of your other videos). Just a sidenote: "pecorino romano" is pecorino (the gveneric name of that cheese) made in Rome (I'd say in Lazio, the region Rome is in), while "pecorino sardo" is the same kind of cheese made in Sardinia. And we also have "pecorino toscano", made in Tuscany. Ciao!
I was about to post the same but then a quick read on Wikipedia showed that most production of pecorino Romano happens in Sardinia these days. Still worth mentioning though, especially to avoid the confusion with pecorino sardo
Brian, duuuuude! At the risk of sounding superficial - "let's eat this thiiiiiiing!" never fails to crack me up even if I'm in a super-dark place. Thank you. And the recipe - goes without saying, YUMM and SIMPLE. Thank you again!!
Luv how you show the fails alongside the success during the cooking to demonstrate when it is not done correctly. Awesome job with your channel. Cheers!
I think you nailed it, while recognizing your clear departures from the traditional recipe. If the assignment is a rich, creamy emulsion that is strong with pecorino and pepper, then you definitely understood it. Love your stuff!
Hey, Bry! Just thought I’d let you know as a long time viewer of most of the regular chef/ food content creators,( babish, Josh, Ragusa Etc) I really find to enjoy how light and wholesome you are? I guess that sounds weird now that I typed it out but I think you found a cool take on cooking and I appreciate it. Thank you!
Just made the "individual" version for two. It turned out so well, it was seriously delicious! And you finally taught me how to emulsify properly. I've tried a different version of cacio e pepe before, and it did turn into an oily mess, as you showed in the video when it's at too high of a heat...thank you for the tips!
Thank you for actually explaining & showing WHY we should not add melted butter, overuse xantham gum, & how emulsification looks!!! My pasta sauce always breaks, into a greasy mess, now I know why!!!
Man, dinners for a crowd/individual meal vids are a win to me. Cause I miss the hell out of entertaining friends. Also. What I wouldn’t give for just a whole lesson on how to toss like that.
Here's a tip, xantham gum dissolves much better in oil, without clumping up at all. Adding it in at the end of frying the pepper might be a better move.
Thanks for your recipes and tips. I too love the showing of what it looks like when things go wrong, and why. Sometimes it just doesn't work out but when it does, its magic.
Your videos always makes me smile and I love the pure food enjoyment dance at the end. I tried this and it was delicious. I also GASP added freshly diced tomatoes for an acidic kick and I gotta tell ya. I ain’t mad about that.
cacio e pepe only needs pecorino romano, pepper and pasta water if you do it right (patiently)...no butter or oil required. The secret is to create a thick cacio "paste" on the side using grated pecorino and starchy pasta water before adding it to the hot pasta, adding more pasta water gradually as the sauce comes together (off the heat). love your channel btw!
Bri, in my 60 years of cooking I never came across C&P, but then my emphasis was never Italian food. When trying to learn a new recipe I try to follow the instuctions but then decide what I want to do with the technique. I have a Julia Child mindset about reccipes, there's la Methode but then the application to your life and available ingredients. I like the fact that you did both here so folks can decide for themselves what to do. All the best Jim
Love both versions! Have you tried the fat slurry method for xanthan gum? Alex French Guy Cooking found this method where you mix the xanthan gum into your fat (olive oil) and it makes it super easy to mix into water without creating clumps and removes the need for the immersion blender. I've used it a couple times and it works really really well.
@@rickyboi8248 it's literally as simple as two steps, you sprinkle some xanthan gum in your fat and whisk it in. I will say that the gating factor is the "sliminess" effect. Xanthan gum is well known for the slimy effect it causes if you use too much (snot texture). So basically just ease into it is all I'm saying.
Made this lsat week. SUPER tasty! Rich AF, I definitely ate too much-but would absolutely be a party-pleaser. Gonna bring this into my "Dad Meal" rotation 100%
Bri, please tell me the 49,455 mails and 60 calls aren't from your phone but ad footage sent to you... Either way, lovely recipe. I've been messing up Cacio e Pepe's for a good few years now, and this is some great insight. I'll make the big dog tomorrow! Thanks a bunch!
I'm a community organizer, and I often am in need for "Cooking For A Crowd" recipes that are cheap, and quickly reproducible. Make whatever you want of course, but videos like this are incredibly helpful, and if you're thinking about doing more of them please do! Thank you. Recipes scaled at very large crowd level (40 - 50) person crowd would be especially appreciated. Thanks for the videos!
Consider using sodium citrate (citrus salt) instead of regular table salt in this recipe (traditional method or crowd method). It tastes exactly the same as regular salt but it's an emulsifier so it should help to get the cheese smooth. I don't know if it also helps the butter to emulsify. You can get "food grade" citrus salt for cheap from online retailers.
Mate, sodium citrate does not taste the same as regular salt. I tried that trick once in my mac n cheese for a smooth sauce and it was inedible. Citric salt is really strong-tasting. Definitely don't sub it 1:1 for regular salt.
@@lyram6463 Were you using "sodium citrate" from the grocery section of an online retailer? Or something else? I've only seen it marketed as "citrus salt" not "citric salt." Or if you did use the right stuff, you probably just used too much of it. I never picked up on a different flavor when I substituted citrus salt for table salt in dishes like mac & cheese, nachos, enchilada sauce. The only time I got a bad result was when I put too much in. It tasted overly-salty. I didn't pick up on any other flavors like sourness/tartness. You can't really talk about salt as 1:1 because some kinds of salt are "saltier" for the same amount. For example, a pinch of kosher salt is a lot less salty than a same-size pinch of fine-ground salt. Just be careful with how much you add, taste as you go the first time you're using it in a recipe. I use around 1 tsp for every pound of cheese I'm going to use.
@@armacham I am not from the US. We have citric acid, more popularly known as "lemon salt". Mightve spoonerised it into citric salt. I see now that it is not the same as sodium citrate (obviously), which is a salt of citric acid. Im honestly not going to try it because I cannot find it outside of specialty online retailers, but I can admit that I am wrong. Keep an eye out, foreign peeps. Not sure why you decided to explain salt to me, but I'll take it. Have a good day stranger.
@@edwardlow6117 Only enough to season it. Putting in too much will hurt you because it tastes too salty, that's the only downside. So put in less than that amount. You can add a little, take a taste, add some more, until it's properly seasoned.
You had me at CACIO e PEPE. One of my favorite dishes. So good. But I make mine with Capellini. Never cared for spaghetti. Too toothy for me. Yeah, Capellini is a little harder to cook it so it doesn't clump but I just like the texture so much better.
Circling back on this one. I made the single serve portion today (only had linguine, but it was still pretty good) and the method to make the sauce is great! Best sauce I've made yet with Cacio E Pepe. Thank you! Although, 1/4 cup of grated cheese didn't provide enough. Had to use a half cup. :)
im loving this one, super simple but looks yummy....and man, i just love the dancing at the end....once i hear "lets eat this thing" i wanna do a food dance too, but im normally sitting here working with something MUCH less appetizing haha. Once you get something yummy like this, homemade, you kinda HAVE to do a food dance, im right there with ya haha.
If you have a fancy micro scale, you can do the Xanthan gum to a percentage of weight of liquid -- 0.3% for very thin thickening to (max) 1.0% for very thick thickening -- so if you had an 100g liquid you wanted to thicken, you would use 0.3g-1.0g of Xanthan gum -- it truly is magical stuff, i use it to make low carb benchamel instead of rue, it works everytime!
The Italian food police are out in full force. There's few things I find more annoying than a comment section overrun with an ethnic goon squad attacking anything that is not "traditional." How does it taste? That should be the most important factor in a cooking video.
I've been eating/making a version of this all my life. Mom would use less pepper and add minced garlic in the oil. I've made it with all sorts of herbs over the years, usually whatever I have left from another dish.
Just made it using the traditional method. Came out great, thank you! Next I'm gonna do a twist on it: in another pan I'll sauté some chicken breast with garlic and red pepper flakes then transfer that to the pasta/sauce in the other pan. Plate with some parsley and parm.
Using the no-oil method, I've noticed the cheese emulsifies better if its added gradually at first with a lot of stirring, like with making mayo, that and adding a pinch of flour and only the bare minimum water for pasta.
After going to Rome and eating all the pasta I dedicated myself to getting carbonara mastered. I do ok. Now I need this handled along with All’Amatriciana. Gonna try your way exactly.
made it man . . . outstanding!!! made the first batch for the wife and I, plan on making the big batch Saturday for the family. Thanks Brian, from Brian!
Another great video!! Brian, I need a white pizza sauce recipe, if you have one of those in your back pocket that would be awesome. Keep up the good work. You are now in my go to trinity of babish, guga, and now The B dawg.
Love your videos. Just a picky point - pecorino that is specifically from Sardinia is labeled Pecorino Sardo while Pecorino Romano could be from Sardo or other areas like Tuscany. Romano is softer and more pungent. Sardo has a milder and a somewhat nutty flavor. I use Romano for grating and Sardo for cheese plates.
i'm not italian, but do you really think that italians will hate you for this? because i'm not even gonna try to make it if italians hate me for it. italian women are some of the most beautiful people in the world, and i don't want to die alone. all that aside, i love your channel.
Easily one the simplest and best recipes on the planet. I remember when Bourdain (RIP) was in Italy and was served this or something similar, in a bowl which was made from cheese.
*love this channel and my family is reaping the rewards of amazing comfort foods from scratch... however* Really can't blame people for being confused why such simplistic dishes are overly complicated by "professional chefs" who add unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients then claim them to be "traditional" because they're betting you don't know otherwise and it gets them more views. This is meant to be a fast no hassle meal. Literally the easiest pasta dish ever and what Italians eat when the cupboards are bare or what college kids make on a hotplate on a budget when they're tired of ramen. Made a huge skillet of this last night and it was beyond easy and delicious with just the 4 ingredients and a wooden spoon - super creamy and silky sauce with rich flavor.
I'm surprised to see no Italian comments ranting on the usage of oil and butter, which are not in the traditional recipe as I recall it from various Italian sources...
I'm against buying all these special ingredients (xanthan gum). Glad to see a single pasta serving being made and the butter water needing mixing I did not know about. I will now switch and find out how real Italians make it. PLUS! The pipette macaroni goes fantastic with green peas that sits in the holes.
Cacio e pepe e burro e olio :D still could taste good.. but what I like about cacio e pepe is silkiness and lightness of the dish, this seems to heavy, so not gonna try this.
@Brian Lagerstrom , I have been watching your videos for a while now. I have only tried your basic bread recipe until last night. This recipe is an AMAZING key for a perfect meal for such a low cost. I am Italian from right outside the Bronx NY and this is such an amazing tasting pasta dish. Thank you for all you do!!!! Let's Eat this THING!!!
No one could hate you, Brian! Your neighbors must absolutely adore you as there is no way you two could eat all that food. I actually wondered how to make 'simple' pasta dishes for a crowd and this is the answer. Many thanks!
I watched a professional Italian chef's vlog who cringed while reacting to other cooks making cacio e pepe with butter and oil when it wasn't needed. He said only the right amount of salted pasta water and lots of pecorino (which was the only cheese that works for this recipe) was required. He also added that one had to toast the black pepper corns first in a pan, before grinding them and adding that to the pan with just a small amount of pasta water. Adding the nearly-cooked pasta in the pan while constantly stirring in very low heat will create the desired creamy sauce after the pecorino is added. That's being Italian for you!!.
I really appreciated the single serving demonstration... I mean... I would never make a single serving for myself... rather the family dish.. but I appreciated it for showing me how fat and ill disciplined I am in the face of delicious italian pasta dishes.
Yeah I discovered Xantham Gum a few years ago, keep it in the freezer, lasts literally forever (would last extremely long on shelf too but you can't let any moisture or humidity get to it). It only takes a tiny bit, but yes you need some sort of blender or food processor. Think of it as a thickener that gives a very similar consistency to adding raw flour to liquid, but without the raw taste and not nearly as much required (also calorie/carb free if that matters). It's in just about every single store-bought "creamy" style sauce or salad dressing. Think the consistency of ranch dressing.
