Lemon Arugula Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe, the ever increasingly popular pasta dish which is really a grown up version of mac ‘n cheese, is perfect in its simplicity. It has only 3 ingredients, 4 if you count the pasta cooking water. It is the embodiment of minimalist.

This is not that recipe.

In fact, I am not sure why it bears the same name, other than that it also contains cheese and pepper, along with numerous other ingredients. Which is not to say that it is not worthy of praise all on its own. Chrissy Tiegen debuted this recipe to the Instagram world in her first cookbook, Cravings, and it obtained something of a cult status for a period of time. This pasta comes together quickly. It has all the right notes of salt from the pork and cheese and acid from the lemon. The addition of arugula compliments the pepper perfectly. It just works. And so I return to it again and again when I am short on time and crave a giant bowl of carbs.

The red pepper flakes gives the pasta a nice “kick”. You may want to adjust them depending on your desired spice level. Pancetta is really preferable in this dish, as bacon will lend a smokey note that is slightly out of place. However I have made it with both and it is still delicious.

Thank-you to my sister for insisting I check out the culinary world of Ms. Teigen!

Lemon Arugula Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Chrissy Teigen, Cravings
Serves 4

Kosher salt
12 ounces dried spaghetti
1/4 pound (about 3/4 cup) pancetta or bacon, finely diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp (about 4 big cloves) minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 ups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
3 cups baby arugula

In a large pot of heavily salted boiling water cook the spaghetti to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the pancetta over medium-high heat until crisped, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the olive oil, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the lemon juice to the skillet, then toss in the drained pasta and toss to coat. Add the cheese and toss, adding the pasta water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, just to help the cheese coat the pasta. Add the arugula and toss until it wilts, about 1 minute. Season to taste with additional salt, lots of black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Serve with more cheese.