Combining the classic ingredients of a cacio e pepe pasta, pecorino cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper, with the arguably best nut out there: the cashew!
Introducing: Truffle Cacio e Pepe Cashews. Your new go to nibble for the cozy gathering season, perfect as a pre-Thanksgiving snack!
I roasted cashews coated in the indispensible ingredients for a classic cacio e pepe pasta: pecorino, salt and pepper low and slow in the oven and then finished them off with a drizzle of truffle oil. What does that make for? A darn moreish snack is what it makes for! The secret for an especially good crunch to those nuts: whipped egg whites in the mix. It’s a perfect pairing for a glass of bubbly or a crisp white wine.
Speaking of white wine, may I suggest a good source? My brother-in-law’s winery Weingut Graf von Kanitz in the Rheingau region of Germany has an amazing selection of Rieslings, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and sparkling wines. They have an online shop that you can find at weingut-kanitz.de. The one here is one of my favorites: Lorcher Pfaffenwies Riesling VDP Erste Lage. Deliciously light and perfect with these cashews but complex enough to enjoy with just about any meal.
Happy Thanksgiving Eve to all our American friends!
xoxo Donata
Ingredients
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
2 cups (300 g) unroasted cashews
110 g Pecorino, finely grated
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp truffle oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Prepare a large bowl with the finely grated pecorino, garlic salt, kosher salt and black pepper. Mix until combined thoroughly. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until frothy.
Add the cashews to the egg whites and stir gently to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the cashews and place them in the bowl with the pecorino, salts and pepper. Gently toss until the nuts are evenly coated.
Spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) for 1 hour. Stir every 20 minutes.
When the cashew are ready, remove from the oven and let cool.
Drizzle with truffle oil and toss to coat evenly.
