Linguine with Cacio e Pepe

I’ve given up caring that the pasta dough from Ad Hoc uses 14 egg yolks. I love it. It’s so easy to make, delicious, and I love kneading it until it transforms from a shaggy mess to a silky ball of dough. Plus there’s no fear of kneading it too much – it should be worked until you think your arms are going to fall off. Then knead it some more.

I made the dough because I had a bunch of yolks leftover from making angel food cupcakes. I thought I might make a ravioli out of it, but at the last minute I decided to go simple. The sauce for this pasta contains just cheese, pepper, butter and olive oil, but it’s emulsified into a silky sauce via the leftover hot pasta water.

I used my Kitchen Aid pasta attachment to make the linguine, but this dough is easy to roll out and cut by hand. We loved the pasta, but next time I’ll probably cut the pepper in half. The recipe calls for a substantial amount – 1/4 cup. I use a strong Tellicherry pepper (extra bold from Penzey’s) and a little goes a long way.

For the pasta dough recipe, check out Care’s Kitchen. The recipe for the Cacio e Pepe can be found at iVillage.

• Pasta Dough (Ad Hoc at Home, p. 338)
• Linguine with Cacio e Pepe (Molto Gusto, p. 148)
• Red Leaf Lettuce with Ranch Dressing (The Best Light Recipe, p. 37)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)