Cacio e Pepe
Tonnarelli, Sea Urchin Butter, Dashi, Gouda, Sunflower Sprouts, and Chives
Chefs Evan & Sarah Rich of Rich Table | San Francisco
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted by StarChefs | october 2019
INGREDIENTS:
Sea Urchin Butter:
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
One 2-inch square kombu
1 cup sake
8 ounces sea urchin
1 pound butter, diced
1 pinch xanthan gum
Salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Salt
2 pounds tonnarelli
1 ounce butter
Black pepper
1 cup dashi
1 cup grated aged gouda
1 cup sunflowers sprouts
Finely chopped chives
METHOD:
For the Sea Urchin Butter:
Prepare an ice bath. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine shallots, garlic, kombu, and sake. Simmer until sake has almost completely evaporated. Remove and discard kombu. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix blender with sea urchin. Purée while slowly adding butter 1 piece at a time. When emulsified, blend in xanthan and season with salt. Transfer to a storage container and chill in ice bath. Dice, transfer to a sixth-pan, cover, and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tonnarelli al dente. Drain, reserving pasta water. In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter, season with pepper, and toast 1 minute. Whisk in dashi and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and scatter in Sea Urchin Butter, tossing to combine and emulsify. Decrease heat to low and sprinkle in gouda, tossing and stirring until cheese melts. Adjust consistency and seasoning with pasta water, if necessary. Turn off heat. Add sunflower sprouts and toss lightly to combine. Transfer to pasta bowls. Garnish with more pepper and gouda. Finish with chives.
