Main Lunch

John Watts’ Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe Recipe

Cacio e pepe translates to ‘cheese and pepper’ and that is exactly what this irresistible dish is. Traditionally, pecorino is used, a hard sheep’s milk cheese similar to Parmesan which is easy to find in UK supermarkets. This is perfect when you want a great Italian-inspired meal in 15 minutes.

5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook

Serves 2

Ingredients

400g gnocchi

40g unsalted butter

40g finely grated pecorino cheese, plus more to serve (optional)

10g parsley leaves, chopped

Salt

Method

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted water, according to the packet instructions. Drain, but reserve some of the cooking water.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Once it starts foaming, add the black pepper and cook for a minute, until fragrant.

3 Add about 40ml of the gnocchi cooking water to the pan and stir until the sauce has emulsified.

4 Add the drained gnocchi to the pan along with the grated pecorino. Toss until the cheese has melted and you have a smooth, glossy sauce. If it needs loosening up, add a little more of the reserved cooking water. Sprinkle in the chopped parsley and mix well.

5 Divide between 2 warmed bowls and finish with more grated cheese, if you like.

Recipes extracted from Speedy Weeknight Meals by Jon Watts, published by Bloomsbury. Photography by Jonathan Gregson.