Cacio e Pepe with Brussels Sprouts
Cacio e Pepe with Brussels Sprouts. Sunday comfort food and a classic. Nothing is better than a creamy cacio e Pepe but today we’re giving it a little twist with the roasted Brussels sprouts. Creamy, cheesy, and delicious goodness to cure the Sunday scaries !!
Sunday scaries hitting hard once again. However, the closer we get to Christmas, the closer I am to my long break that I am taking from work. I am taking a full two weeks and I am so excited. I pretty much saved up all my vacation days this year so I could have an extra long Christmas holiday off. And let me tell you I am too excited.
But in the meantime we have a few more scary Sunday’s. So, pasta it is. Per usual. Since it is my brother’s birthday week we are having all his favorites and he is a simple guy when it comes to food. So, tonight we are having a simple but delicious classic….cacio e Pepe. But I wanted to spice it up a little, so we’re pairing it with roasted Brussels sprouts.
Cacio e Pepe might be one of my brother’s favorites, but anything with Brussels sprouts is mine. So I think we are pretty much in a win win situation here. And the Brussels sprouts pair so perfectly with the creaminess and cheesiness of the pasta to make for the perfect winter touch on Cacio e Pepe.
Anyway, I hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying the start to the holiday season !!
Ingredients
12 ounces Brussels sprouts; halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 pound bucatini
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
1 cup pecorino romano
Directions
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add the Brussels sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 425 degree oven roast for about 20 - 25 minutes until crispy.
Cook the pasta in salted water. Add the peppercorns to a large skillet. Heat over low heat. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Keep warm over low heat. Add the pecorino romano to a small bowl. Add enough pasta water to make the cheese creamy.
When pasta is cooked, transfer it the skillet with the peppercorns using tongs. Toss to combine. Spoon the cheese mixture in a little at time. Continue tossing the pasta to coat. Keep adding cheese until a creamy sauce forms. You may need to increase the heat.
Serve topped with roasted Brussels sprouts.
