CACIO E PEPE WITH RUNNER BEANS

Cacio e pepe with runner beans image

Cacio e pepe or "cheese and pepper" is a Roman classic - an easy pasta sauce that uses pasta water for silky texture. Runner beans add freshness and bite

Provided by Rosie Birkett

Categories Dinner, Lunch, Main course, Pasta, Supper

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

180g linguine or bucatini
160g runner beans , topped, tailed, string removed and finely sliced
splash of olive oil
60g butter
1 tsp black peppercorns , crushed in a pestle and mortar (not too finely)
30g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated and at room temperature
30g pecorino (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated and at room temperature, plus extra to serve

Steps:

Boil a pan of salted water, add the pasta and cook for 4 mins. Add the runner beans and cook together for 2 mins, then drain, reserving the water.
Gently heat the oil and ¾ of the butter in a large, high-sided frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in the pepper with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 min, then add in a ladleful of the pasta water and whisk vigorously until you have the beginnings of a smooth sauce. Add in the rest of the butter, the pasta and the beans and half the cheeses, and stir, shaking the pan as you go to mix everything together and release starch from the pasta to make it extra creamy. Add in the rest of the cheese and shake some more until it melts and you have a silky smooth sauce. Ladle in more pasta water to loosen it if necessary, and make sure the pasta is cooked. Season with salt and serve straightaway with extra pecorino and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 706 calories, Fat 37 grams fat, SaturatedFat 22 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 67 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 4 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 22 grams protein, Sodium 1.3 milligram of sodium