Travel and cooking shows can, at times, bring a tear to my eye. They get me wondering – will our kids, who have many food allergies, be able to travel the world? Will they enjoy gelato in Italy? Pierogi in Poland with their family? Croissants in France? Feijoada in Brazil? Will they travel around the world trying new foods, meeting people and learning about new cultures? God, I hope they do. But until they do grow out of their allergies (because I am manifesting that) or until there’s a cure. Now you can see why I sometimes tear up watching these shows.
However, like many allergy parents, I put on a brave face, put my big girl pants on and positively go about our lives, trying to make the best of our situation….for my own mental health …and of course for our kids. I want our kids to know that YES they can travel; YES with the right ingredients they can eat what others are eating…and that Adam and I will teach and empower them how to do it safely.
That’s how this Cacio e Pepe recipe came about. Lately, Adam and I have been obsessed with Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” on CNN. It one of the best cooking and travels shows I’ve watched to date. Especially during a pandemic when we are not traveling far and wide, this series brings me so much joy. Italy is one of my favorite places on earth. I’ve visited around 10 times and Adam and I spent part of our honeymoon in Italy – Milan and Lake Como. To this day, I can still taste the dinner we had at Hotel Vista and remember the insanely enchanting views from the rooftop in charming Varenna overlooking Lake Como.
In MIlan (one of our honeymoon spots), Tucci pays a vast to Bistro64 where Japanese Chef Kotaro Noda creates a mouthwateringly gorgeous Cacio e Pepe. Decadent and rich, this pasta has five ingredients – pasta, butter, cheese, salt and black pepper – making it one I could possibly transform into a dairy-free dream.
Off we went. Channeling Chef Noda and Stanley we went off to re-create this dish for our kiddos – Emerson and Rhea. Yesterday we held a taste test with my family – my parents and Adam (none of which have food allergies) and the kids. All gave it a thumbs up. My dad even asked to be invited over for dinner the next time I whip up a batch.
Below you’ll find the recipe and I sincerely hope you try it out.
More importantly, I hope this posts inspires you to look at food, meals and even cooking shows a touch differently. Yes, you or your family might have limitations when it comes to certain ingredients. However, you can truly recreate any meal, making it safe and delicious for your kids.
So, Stanley Tucci, Chef Noda and friends at CNN – if you are reading this – thank you for inspiring us to make a new, decadent and safe meal for our family!
Dairy Free Cacio E Pepe
Ingredients
- 1 bag spaghetti
- 2 1/2 tbsp Earth Balance butter
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2/3 cup vegan shredded mozzarella (we use Daiya)
- 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan (we use Violife)
- Sprinkles Salt (for the pasta water + to taste once you’re served your dish)
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in a medium sized pot. Season with salt. Add in the pasta, stirring for about 9 minutes (check cooking instructions on the pasta. Drain and keep about 1 cup of pasta water on reserve.
- While your pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp of your vegan butter in a large skillet, on medium heat. Add in pepper and mix it around for about 1 minute until the butter is melted.
- Add about 2/3 cup of the water to the skillet and bring to a simmer (it will smell so good by this point). Add in the pasta and then the shredded mozzarella. Reduce the heat down to low and swirl it around, mixing the cheese, pasta and buttery mixture all together. Now, take the pan off the heat and add in your vegan parmesan stirring until it’s all mixed and the pasta is nicely coated. You can add in more pasta water if it seems dry to you. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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