Cacio & Pepe Tortelli | Andrea Aprea

Ingredients for 4 people

For the "liquid" cacio e pepe filling

• 400g grated pecorino romano
• 500ml vegetable broth
• 25g onion
• 75g potatoes
• 25g black pepper
• 8 sheets of gelatin

Method

Sauté the onion and potato, then add vegetable broth and cook the finely chopped potato until done.

Incorporate the pecorino at 65°C, then blend everything in a Thermomix at 50°C for a few minutes.

Add the pepper and the gelatin previously soaked in cold water, then mold the mixture into ravioli silicone molds.

For the Caramelized Onion

• 1 white onion
• 20g sugar
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• White wine vinegar to taste

Method

Finely chop the onion, blanch it in slightly acidic salted water, then drain and dry it with paper towels.

Continue cooking in a pan, gently caramelizing it with sugar until it's dry and glossy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

For the Egg Pasta

• 600g all-purpose flour
• 150g semolina flour
• 500g egg yolks

Method

Put all ingredients in a stand mixer, mix together, vacuum seal, and let it rest in the fridge.

Once the gelatin has set, roll out the pasta dough very thinly (1.5mm thickness), place the filling on the first layer of dough, and cover with the second layer.

Seal the tortellini and cut them without leaving any pasta edges using a cylindrical pastry cutter, then place them on a tray dusted with semolina at 4°C.

For cooking, use some vegetable broth heated to 78-80°C and gently immerse the tortellini for a minute and a half.

Plate Composition

Gently drain the tortellini, place them on a spoon, create a small nest of caramelized white onion, add some pecorino shavings, crushed pepper, and two or three watercress leaves.