Lessons Learned from Italian Cooking: Tubetti Cacio e Uova

Lessons learned from Italian Cooking #3: Pasta is a blank canvas. You can dress it up with basically anything you have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. Some of the most basic ingredients such as eggs, cheese, and fresh herbs can come together and create a decadent dish that you will want to share with friends and family.

In this edition of Lessons Learned, I have made

 Tubetti Cacio E Uova: Tubular Macaroni with Cheese and Egg.

The first sauce that I think of when I think basic pasta is marinara sauce but dressing pasta with cheese and eggs predates the rise of tomatoes in the 18th century. Not only is this dish great because it is high in protein, it is great because the eggs and the cheese come together to create this delicious creamy cheese sauce and the addition of fresh ground black pepper adds a nice spiciness to the dish. If you are familiar with Pasta Carbonara, which is also made with eggs, I think you will really enjoy this dish. The best part about it...it uses ingredients that you would most likely have lying around all the time. It is also a great pasta to add things to such as chicken, shrimp, and fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4 - 6)

• 1 lb short, tubular macaroni such as ziti or penne*
• 3 tablespoons butter OR extra virgin olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup loosely packed parsley or basil leaves, finely cut
• 3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

*I did not have either so I used fettucine. Feel free to use any pasta you want. However, the tubular pasta will hold the sauce better. I also added chicken breast and some fresh veggies to mine. Get creative with the dish! I am sure sausage would be great in it too.

1. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water 

*Why do you cook the pasta in salted water? Because that is the only chance the pasta has to absorb flavor on its own. If the pasta itself is flavorful, the overall dish will have more flavor instead of only relying on the sauce.

2. Place the fat of choice in the bowl you will eventually toss the pasta in. Place the bowl in a 200°F oven.

Ok, amateur move right here. Putting a plastic bowl in the oven? NOT a good idea! However, nothing happened to it. But, I will not be doing that again! 

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with a fork and then beat in the pepper and parsley OR basil.

4. Drain the pasta once it becomes "al dente"

*al dente: directly translated it means, "to the tooth." Cooking al dente is to cook firm, but not hard. Too many times we over cook our pasta causing it to be mushy so when in Rome (or wherever you are...) do as the Romans do! 

5. Remove the hot bowl from the oven (don't forget your pot holders like I did!) and immediately pour the pasta into the heated fat. Toss to coat with the fat and then pour the egg mixture into the bowl, continuing to toss until lightly blended and the eggs have slightly thickened. They should not curdle, but if they do...that's ok! The dish will still be equally as delicious. 

6. Add the grated pecorino and parmesan and mix throughly. You will see the transformation from beaten egg to creamy cheesey deliciousness!

7. Serve immediately with some more fresh ground pepper and cheese on top! I also had the pasta the next day as left overs and the flavors came together a little more and was just as yummy :)

Buon Appetíto!

Lisa