Creamy Cacio e Pepe Macaroni & Cheese Recipe (5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes) by Donna John

My interest in cacio e pepe started with Anthony Bourdain and peaked in Italy when I ordered it in Rome. Not a bad place to eat your first plate of cacio e pepe. Cacio e pepe means "cheese and pepper," and that's exactly what this simple Italian dish is. Simple is usually best, and this pasta proves that.

To Americanize it a bit, I turned the traditional cacio e pepe made with long noodles into mac and cheese, made with short pasta and milk. This macaroni and cheese recipe is pure side dish heaven.

To keep with the macaroni and cheese theme, this pasta recipe has more cheese than typically used in cacio e pepe. To make it creamier, it also has evaporated milk, which is one of my favorite pantry ingredients. Here is your short shopping list: short pasta, evaporated milk, black pepper (check out the health benefits of black pepper), an Italian cheese blend and Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Reggiano cheese.

This creamy pasta makes a tasty side dish with dinner, or serve it for lunch with a side salad. 

Cuisine: American / Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes (will vary depending on type of pasta)
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 8 ounces short pasta (see Recipe Notes)
• 14 ounces (1 can) evaporated milk
• 1/2 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Italian cheese blend
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, Parmesan Reggiano or Parmesan cheese

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. (You can use any short pasta you like for this recipe. Ditalini, cavatappi, bowties, shells, elbow macaroni, penne or rotini are all good choices. I used shells.)
   
2. While the pasta cooks, put the evaporated milk and black pepper into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses until melted and smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta. (If you don't have coarsely ground black pepper, you can use regular ground pepper, just reduce the amount. If the sauce is too thin for you, cook over low heat until it thickens up. If it's too thick, add more evaporated milk.)
   
3. Sprinkle with more black pepper, if desired, and serve. Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave. You can add more milk, if needed, to loosen it up.
   

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