Green Beans Cacio e Pepe

Check out a short video of me making the dish here

A classic Roman dish with a garden-fresh twist.

Spice Profile: alepo pepper, ancho chiles, black peppercorns, coriander, fenugreek leaf, garlic, green peppercorns, kosher salt, marjoram, onion, oregano, paprika, pasilla chilles, rosemary, thyme

Start with about 1 pound of fresh green beans. Rinse them well and trim the stems (you can cut them in half if you prefer). Grate ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese—skip the pre-ground stuff if you can, it has starch in it which prevents it from melting smoothly.

Blanch the green beans in boiling water for about 4 minutes, just until they turn bright green. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, then drain the rest and plunge the beans into an ice bath to stop the cooking.

In a deep skillet or sauté pan, heat 1 TBSP of butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add the spice packet, (2 tsp Stock+Spice Cacio e Pepe), and stir for about 1 minute to bloom the spices.

Add the green beans and reserved cooking water to the pan. Then, slowly stir in the grated Pecorino Romano a little at a time, mixing constantly. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until the cheese forms a light coating on the beans. (This isn’t a heavy sauce—it’s more of a silky glaze.)

Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes. Toss gently, serve warm, and enjoy every peppery, cheesy bite.