This cacio e pepe is made with Mahon cheese, a Spanish cheese that is delicious and perfect for this big ol’ comforting dish of pasta!
Oh how I love cheese. I’ve said this before, but when I worked for Whole Foods Market, I was responsible for planning all our in store events. Some of those events included making really awesome cheese plates and I got to try SO many new styles!
So when we got the chance to try the Mahón-Menorca Cheese and whip up a few recipes, I jumped at the chance!
This deliciously mild cheese has a pretty awesome background story. Check it out!
“Mahón-Menorca Cheese is produced on the island of Menorca, one of Spain’s Balearic Islands. A paradisiacal Biosphere Reserve island (certified by the UNESCO) located in the Mediterranean Sea. Mahón-Menorca Cheese is a Protected Denomination of Origin (P.D.O.) based upon the geographic and distinct climate factors including its temperature, humidity, light, wind and salty pastures, and its ancient farming methods mastered by generations of the Menorca family farms. Made from menorcan cow’s milk (pasteurized or raw), exclusively matured on the island of Menorca.”
Okay, so basically Mahon cheese has a fancier background than I do. But, honestly that’s why I love learning about food! The history behind our food seriously fascinates me.
The typical way to eat this Mahon cheese is sliced thinly with black pepper, tarragon and olive oil, which sounds quite delicious if you ask me. We decided to take it up a notch an use it to make cacio e pepe!
If you’ve never made this super easy pasta dish, you are missing out. It’s like a super simple mac and cheese and we used the Mahon cheese instead of the typical Pecorino or Parmesan.
You can enjoy cacio e pepe on it’s own (more traditional) or sprinkle in some protein like crispy chicken or even pancetta!
Cacio e pepe literally translates to “cheese and pepper” which are the two prime ingredients in this pasta dish. Also, fun fact, I took 3 years of Italian in college!
I guess if we are making this a Spanish version of cacio e pepe, it should be queso y peper but hey, no-one is googling for that recipe, so here we are.
This recipe is super simple and quick, but takes a bit of focus. You’ll need two pans going at the same time, one for your pasta to cook and another to make your sauce. Don’t toss your pasta water!
You’ll need about 1/2 cup to put in your sauce because pasta water is the secret ingredient to all yummy pasta sauces. Well, in this instance, the secret ingredient is actually the Mahon cheese.
Make sure you check out Mahón-Menorca next time you are at your local cheese counter. If you want to add a protein to this pasta dish, it would be delicious with some crispy or grilled chicken.
Enjoy and don’t forget to tag us on social media when you whip up this twist on a classic!
A few of our other favorite cheesy recipes.
- Creamy and Cheese Risotto. This risotto is also made with Mahon cheese! It’s so amazing and delicious.
- Croque Monsieur. This fancy grilled cheese is seriously addictive. Thanks, France.
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole. I mean, do I even need a description to encourage you to enjoy this one?
Spanish Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles
- 1 heaping cup Mahón-Menorca Cheese freshly grated
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1-2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup pasta water
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions, a little less than fully cooked because you’ll cook it a little bit in a pan.
- While your pasta is boiling, melt butter in a large pan. Once butter is melted, add freshly cracked pepper and whisk to combine. Cook for a minute or so.
- Very carefully ladle 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water into butter + pepper. If pasta is done cooking, strain and set aside. Reserve another 1/2 cup of the pasta water just in case you need a little more.
- Gently add in freshly grated Mahón-Menorca Cheese and whisk until totally combined.
- Add about half of the cooked pasta to the butter and cheese mixture and generously toss to fully coat. Then, add remaining pasta and swirl around until totally covered. If it’s a little too dry, you can add a bit of the pasta water, a Tablespoon at a time.
- Serve with additional grated cheese and cracked pepper and enjoy!
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