Like carbonara, cacio e pepe is a relative newcomer to the Roman repertoire, first appearing in the mid-twentieth century.
It pays to use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in this dish.
Noce Moscata means “nutmeg” in Italian.
The browned butter and roasted vegetables make this special, but roasting everything in the oven at once makes it easy to prepare.
Alla barese, in the Bari style, always means this favorite preparation, made with the spicy greens called broccoli rabe or rapini in America, a little garlic, a pinch of chili pepper, and a few anchovies for the salt.
The best thing about this dish of courgette spaghetti with a fresh tomato sauce is that it is a lower calorie alternative to the traditional pasta dish.
In most of Italy, these dumplings are called gnocchi verdi (gnocchi with greens) and ricotta or ravioli gnudi (“nude ravioli,” or ravioli filling without pasta).
These beautiful gnocchi show off a rich red color. The flavor of the gnocchi is earthy but not intensely beet-y, and the texture is soft and delicate.
I was constantly missing the pasta dishes I grew up with in Italy, so I’d go to the general store, buy the ingredients, and make this over the two little hotplates in our communal room.
This wintry, satisfying dish can be made with store-bought fresh egg noodles or, if you have time, you can make your own.