Cacio e Pepe Soft Scrambled Eggs
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Recipe Intro From LindsBrandes
This dish was inspired by one of my favorite Danny Meyer restaurants in New York City, Mailaino. I saw Ina Garden order the Cacio e Pepe eggs, so I ordered the Cacio Pepe eggs.
Cacio e Pepe dates all the way back to ancient Rome and I think we can all agree - the Roman’s really know what they’re doing. If I could go swimming in a bowl of Cacio e Pepe I would. So let’s turn this creamy, cheesy, peppery pasta dish into soft scrambled eggs, shall we? Making this dish is a lot like making risotto; you need to stir constantly and have some serious patience. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady wins the race. I find that the best way to achieve a perfect soft scramble is to continuously scrape around the edges of your pan with a rubber spatula. You’ll be tempted to turn the heat up to speed along the process but don’t you dare !!! I repeat- low and slow. When the eggs are ready, they should be soft, creamy - and honestly, pretty similar consistency to risotto too.
Now let’s talk Pepe - If you don’t have a pepper grinder, get creative! You can use a mortal and pestle or even a heavy bottom pan to crush your peppercorns. Whatever it takes to get the job done. I promise you these eggs are decadent and delicious! If they’re good enough for Ina, they’re good enough for me!
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, such as Diaspora Co. Aranya Pepper
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Chopped fresh herbs, for garnish (optional)
- Flaky salt, such as Amagansett Sea Salt, for serving (optional)
- Your favorite bread (gluten-free, if desired) for serving
Method
Step 1
Coarsely grind peppercorns using a pepper grinder or mortar and pestle. Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add crushed peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from skillet.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk half the toasted pepper with eggs, heavy cream, cheese and salt.
Step 3
Melt butter in skillet over low heat. Add egg mixture and stir constantly with a rubber spatula until eggs are soft scrambled and fluffy, around 8-10 minutes. Eggs should be soft, creamy and loose but not soupy. Sprinkle eggs with remaining toasted pepper, herbs, flaky salt, and extra cheese, if desired. Serve with toast.