Potato gnocchi cacio e pepe

Gnocchi cacio e pepe is a reinterpretation of spaghetti cacio e pepe, a great classic of Roman cuisine. A recipe that is made with a few essential ingredients, black pepper in grains and pecorino romano.

Listen to the audio recipe of the potato gnocchi with cheese and pepper

Ingredients for potato gnocchi cacio e pepe (4 people)

2.20 pounds of potatoes;
0.55 pounds of 00 flour;
1 medium-sized egg;
0.44 pounds of Pecorino romano cheese;
black peppercorns to taste.

DIFFICULTY’	COOKING TIME	PREPARATION TIME
simple	15′	30′

Nutritional values for one serving
Energy		0 kcal
Energy		0 Kj
Fats		0 gr.
	Saturated fats	0 gr.
	Monounsaturated fats	0 gr.
	Polyunsaturated fats	0 gr.
Carbohydrates		0 gr.
	Sugars	0 gr.
Proteins		0 gr.
Salt		0 gr.
Dietary fiber		0 gr.
Cholesterol		0 gr.
Potassium		0 gr.

Preparation of potato gnocchi cacio e pepe

Let’s start preparing the gnocchi by peeling the potatoes and washing them under water. Put a saucepan with water to boil and add the potatoes and let cook them for about 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and cut them into small pieces, so that they can be mashed with a potato masher. Add flour, one medium egg and a pinch of salt. knead dough by hand or with an electric mixer, until the mixture is homogeneous and soft to the touch.

Check the homogeneity of the dough by adding flour if necessary, this will improve the cooking of the gnocchi and they will not fall apart.

Work the dough into small pieces to form long rolls with a thickness of 2 cm. Cut the roll into pieces of 2 cm, place on a gnocchi board and make the dumpling half a turn so that it takes the typical shape with grooves.

Let the gnocchi rest in the refrigerator. In the meantime grate the Pecorino romano cheese. The cheese paste of the pecorino must have a medium seasoning, to obtain a good creaminess, which does not form coarse lumps.

Heat a pot with some water. It is not necessary to salt the cooking water as the pecorino romano is already very savory.

When the water boils, add the potato gnocchi and let them cook for two to three minutes.

Put half of the grated pecorino cheese in a bowl and a sprinkling of chopped pepper, to prepare the pecorino cream.

Pour over the grated pecorino a ladle of gnocchi cooking water. Mix with a whisk, adding the remaining amount of pecorino a little at a time.

If necessary, adjust the consistency of the pecorino cream with more cooking water.

Pound the peppercorns on a cutting board with a meat mallet or even a simple grinder. Toast the black pepper in a pan until the smell of pepper is released, add 2 or 3 ladles of the cooking water.

Once the cooking time is reached, drain the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, directly into the pan with the water and pepper. Toss regularly so as to oxygenate the gnocchi.