Cacio e Pepe – Red or White Wine?

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Rosé:  Domaine Tempier 2018 – Pairing Rating:  9.5 out of 10.0

Cru Beaujolais:  Jean Foillard Fleurie 2015 – Pairing Rating:  9.0

To the uninitiated, Cacio e Pepe sounds like a yawner: “It’s just pasta, cheese and pepper!” “Unimaginative”, they cry.  But we think they miss the point: the highest quality ingredients, expertly prepared and combined, usually show best when few in number.  Think Caprese Salad or a Cheese Omelet, where the amazement is totally dependent on the freshness of a few ingredients, the quality of the execution, and the simplicity of the recipe. Such is the case with Cacio e Pepe.

One might think that Cacio e Pepe (literally “Cheese and Pepper”) is an ancient Italian pasta dish born in Emilia-Romagna or Lombardy.  Not so.  The dish is said to be from “relatively” modern Roman cuisine.  And because the ingredients keep well for a long time, the dish was a practical recipe for nomadic shepherds.

Interesting how a simple dish for shepherds has become the darling of gourmands and Italian chefs!  Reminds us of the renewed interest in Gnocchi and Gourmet Flatbreads.

“Simple”, however, belies the execution precision this dish demands.  Think of baking – where measurement of the ingredients is critical.  Cacio e Pepe requires similar care.  Consider the grated cheese:  it should be aged Pecorino Romano, not Parmigiano Reggiano.  Save that for Fettuccini Alfredo.  The hand-grating should be fine, as depicted below, but not powdery.  A large grate will leave the cheese lumpy amidst the pasta; pre-ground, grocery store cheese is typically too fine and will melt too quickly. 

Second, the black pepper must be freshly ground and medium-sized in texture.  Finally, the traditional recommended pasta depends on the region in Italy:  Spaghetti alla Chitarra (Abruzzo) or Tonnarelli (Lazio).  Both are about the size of spaghetti and are textured to improve the capture of the cheese.  But both are a challenge to find in dried form in US markets.  We did, however, find the one pictured below at our local Whole Foods.

If you are unable to find the Chitarra, we recommend the dried pasta from DeCecco for its toothiness when cooked al dente.  We have tried both spaghetti and linguini cuts, but our preference is to use bucatini.

Purists’ commentaries abound on Cacio e Pepe recipe sites:  no butter, no cream, no olive oil . . . only cheese, pepper and starchy pasta water.  We believe we can make a superior dish if we use a little butter and a little heavy cream . . . superior in the distribution and texture of the cheese.  We’ll take the abuse from the purists, for it’s the quality of the finished product that matters.  Our recipe is provided below, and we think it hits all the right notes.

Wine Pairing:

In making a wine selection for this dish, the focal points are the creaminess of the cheese and the heat of the black pepper. As such, we thought that a Rosé that would deliver enough acidity to cleanse the dairy fat, while the ripe red fruits (and no tannin) would keep the pepper in check.  But with Rosés made in wine regions all over the world, how does one choose?

The French have a way to think about Rosés, pouring them in two categories:  Vins de Soif (thirst-quenching wines) and Vins de Gastronomie (wines for food).  The first category is made up of Rosés that are light-bodied, crisp, refreshing wines intended to be enjoyed as aperitifs.  They are typically unoaked blends of Cinsault and Grenache. The second encompasses fuller-bodied, bolder, more structured Rosés meant to be enjoyed with food.

Our go-to Rosé for food is from Domaine Tempier (our visit) located in the Bandol appellation of Provence.  Here, the hillsides of Mourvèdre grapevines bask in the long, hot, growing season of the Mediterranean coast.  Adding the Mourvèdre grape to the Rosé blend gives the structure needed to be a Vins de Gastronomie. 

For red wine lovers, the wine pairing must deliver similar characteristics:  sufficient acidity, fruit freshness and very low tannins.  We think the Gamay wines from the Beaujolais region of France smartly satisfy.

We favor the wines from the 10 Cru AOCs of Beaujolais, and for this pairing, we recommend the exquisite Domaine Jean Foillard Fleurie ($50 for the 2018 vintage).  Wines from the Fleurie AOC (the name is attributed to a Roman Legionnaire) are the most elegant and floral of the Crus of Beaujolais. Organically farmed over pink sandstone, Foillard’s Gamay grapes deliver sweet aromas of peony, violet and rose from the glass, while the palate is alive with rich red fruits and freshness.  Fleurie tends to be the most expensive of the Cru Beaujolais, but some lower priced alternatives to Foillard exist:  J-L Dutraive (also organic) for $45 and Coudert Pere for $31.

Hone your pasta skills by giving Cacio e Pepe a try.  And pair this excellent dish with either of the two recommended wines.  How simple is that?