Today we’re cooking the classics of Italian cuisine—dishes passed down through generations for centuries. These recipes embody the philosophy of Italian cooking: minimal ingredients, maximum flavor.
🍝 Cacio e Pepe
The legendary Roman pasta with a cheesy sauce of pecorino and black pepper—deceptively simple but demanding skill. Silky spaghetti in a creamy sauce with sharp peppery notes.
Ingredients:
• Spaghetti — 400 g
• Pecorino Romano (grated) — 200 g
• Whole black peppercorns — 2 tbsp
• Salt — to taste
• Water for cooking pasta
Instructions:
Step 1. Place a large pot with 4 liters of water over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a rolling boil—large bubbles should rise aggressively to the surface.
Step 2. While the water heats, crush the peppercorns in a mortar or grind in a mill to a coarse consistency (not powder, but visible pieces). Heat a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute, add the pepper, and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. The pepper is ready when it releases a strong aroma and a faint wisp of smoke appears. Remove from heat.
Step 3. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes LESS than the package instructions (if it says 11 minutes, cook for 9). One minute before it’s done, ladle out 2 cups (500 ml) of the pasta water into a separate container—this starchy water is critical for the sauce.
Step 4. While the pasta cooks, finely grate the pecorino (if not pre-grated). In a large bowl, mix the grated cheese with 150 ml of the reserved pasta water, whisking vigorously with a fork or whisk. The consistency should resemble liquid sour cream—smooth, lump-free, and pourable but not watery.
Step 5. Drain the spaghetti in a colander (do not rinse!). Immediately transfer to the skillet with the toasted pepper, place over low heat. Pour in the cheese mixture, toss quickly with tongs, lifting the pasta upward. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved water in 50 ml increments, continuing to toss vigorously. Doneness: each strand of spaghetti is coated in a silky, creamy sauce that clings but doesn’t pool at the bottom.
Step 6. Remove from heat. Keep tossing for another 30 seconds—the sauce will reach perfect consistency from residual heat. The pasta should glisten; the sauce should cling tightly to the spaghetti, forming a unified whole.
Step 7. Immediately plate on warmed dishes. Sprinkle with extra grated pecorino and freshly ground black pepper. Serve at once—the dish won’t wait.
💡 Fact: Cacio e Pepe originated as a shepherd’s meal, carried into the mountains with just cheese, pepper, and dried pasta. Today, it’s considered a test of a chef’s skill—a single misstep in temperature, and the sauce turns into a lumpy mess.
🍗 Pollo alla Cacciatora
A classic "hunter-style" chicken dish, braised with tomatoes, wine, and aromatic herbs. Juicy meat in a thick tomato sauce with vegetables—embodying rustic Italian cuisine.
Ingredients:
• Chicken (thighs and drumsticks) — 1.2 kg
• Extra virgin olive oil — 4 tbsp
• Yellow onion — 1 large
• Carrot — 1 medium
• Celery (stalks) — 2
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Dry white wine — 200 ml
• Canned tomatoes (whole or crushed) — 400 g
• Tomato paste — 2 tbsp
• Fresh rosemary — 2 sprigs
• Fresh sage — 6 leaves
• Bay leaves — 2
• Pitted black olives — 100 g
• Salt — 1.5 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Chicken stock or water — 150 ml
Instructions:
Step 1. Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water, pat dry with paper towels until completely dry. Rub with salt (1 tsp) and pepper on all sides. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes—the meat should "sweat" slightly, ensuring a better crust.
Step 2. Slice the onion into 3-4 mm half-rings. Cut the carrot into 5 mm rounds. Chop the celery into 1 cm pieces. Roughly chop the garlic. If using whole tomatoes, crush by hand or cut into large chunks.
Step 3. Heat a heavy skillet or wide pot (at least 28 cm in diameter) over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, heat until it shimmers (30 seconds). Place the chicken skin-side down in a single layer. Do not touch for 6-7 minutes—a golden-brown crust should form, and the meat should release easily from the bottom. Flip and sear the other side for 5 minutes until equally browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Step 4. In the same skillet (do not wash!), add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spatula and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. The vegetables are ready when the onion turns translucent and slightly golden, and the carrot softens.
Step 5. Add the garlic, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly—a rich herbal aroma should fill the air. Pour in the wine, increase the heat to high. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring actively and scraping the bottom, until the volume reduces by half and the alcohol smell dissipates.
Step 6. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and remaining salt (0.5 tsp). Stir, bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet along with any accumulated juices, submerging it skin-side up in the sauce. Pour in the stock—liquid should cover about 2/3 of the meat, not fully. Cover with a lid, leaving a small gap. Reduce heat to low—the sauce should barely simmer (1-2 bubbles per second).
Step 7. Braise for 35-40 minutes, turning the chicken and gently stirring the sauce every 10 minutes. The meat is done when a fork inserted releases clear juice (no pink tinge) and the internal temperature reaches 75°C. The sauce should thicken to the consistency of liquid sour cream.
Step 8. Five minutes before finishing, add the olives and stir. Remove from heat, let rest covered for 5 minutes—the sauce will stabilize, and the meat will absorb the flavors. Discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
💡 Fact: The name alla Cacciatora ("hunter-style") comes from the tradition of hunters cooking this dish in the woods using game and whatever they had on hand. Every Italian region has its own version: in Tuscany, they add black olives; in Umbria, white wine; and in the south, hot pepper.