So Many Dishes

When I posted the Ten to Try list of recipes I wanted to make in 2026, I included an eleventh recipe. It was a new dish that I planned to cook to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Plans aren’t always executed, and that one certainly wasn’t. I published my post on December 26th. On the 30th, I was admitted to the hospital, and for a while it looked as if I was going to have to stay there through the holiday weekend, since the surgery couldn’t be scheduled before January 5th. The wonderful staff worked out a plan so that I could go home on the 31st and not return until the day before the surgery, but I wasn’t discharged until after 5:00, and I was in no shape to cook. I honestly don’t remember what Ken cooked, although I know it was better than the tray of mystery soup that was being delivered as I was leaving 😄

We finally had cacio e pepe, the recipe I’d planned for New Year’s Eve, Sunday evening, and it was worth the wait. Cacio e pepe, or spaghetti with cheese and black pepper, is a classic Roman pasta dish, made with just a handful of ingredients. My recipe came from Aaron Hutcherson, who was until recently a recipe developer at the Washington Post. Aaron specializes in dishes that can be put together quickly, usually in less than an hour. That turned out to be a perfect choice for the day. I’m always ready to relax by the time we get home from church on a Sunday afternoon. Since our music group’s only rehearsal is before the service, we’re there pretty early, and it can be a really busy time. It was doubly so this week, because I had a text early Sunday morning from our music director, saying that he was ill, and could I run the rehearsal and play piano. Panic time! I’m not a confident pianist—I’m a realist about my skills—but I had played the song I was singing enough to feel reasonably comfortable with that, plus I had a little time to practice before we left home. Everything went smoothly, but I was mentally exhausted by the time we returned, and very glad that we hadn’t planned an elaborate or complicated.

Alice had given us a package of Italian pasta infused with Barolo wine, and that’s what I decided to use for this recipe. We had brought some similar pasta home from our one trip to Italy, which we actually bought in Barolo. The wine mostly colors the pasta; it doesn’t really affect the taste. But it looks really interesting!

Pecorino Romano cheese, which is a sheep’s milk cheese, is the traditional cheese for cacio e pepe. This version calls for half Romano and half Parmesan cheeses. However, the notes say that you can use just one or the other of the cheeses. Since we had Parmesan, that’s what I included, although I’d like to try it sometime with Romano, which has a sharper, saltier taste. I loved it with the Parmesan, though, so it’s not a priority. That’s the only change I made.

Cacio e Pepe

• 8 ounces dried spaghetti or other long pasta
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (but see above)
• 1/2 cup pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving (but see above)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al denté, about 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet (I used my wok pan) over medium high heat, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside until the pasta is ready.

Once the pasta is ready, return the skillet to medium-high heat. Use tongs to transfer the pasta from the pot to the skillet. Add 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid reduces by half, 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the pasta is evenly coated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add about one-quarter of the cheeses and stir vigorously until melted and thoroughly combined. Repeat with the remaining cheese.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup more cooking water and cook, stirring constantly, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add serve immediately, with more cheese and pepper sprinkled on top. Makes 2-3 servings.

Happy eating!