Leek and Bacon Cacio e Pepe

BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE

March 2024

I’m tempted to call this recipe leek and bacon cacio e pepe, but the purist in me hesitates. Yes, this is a pasta with that relies heavily on grated parmesan cheese to give substance to the sauce, while cacio e pepe, one of Rome’s traditional pastas, is traditionally made with pecorino, or sheep’s milk cheese. There’s also quite a bit of butter here, and the plenty of bacon, which reminds me more of carbonara, just without the egg. There is pepper - lots of it - which leaves behind distinct, warm floral notes that complement the bright, sweet spring leeks.

So this pasta a little bit cacio e pepe and a little bit carbonara, but far easier than both. And it’s a lovely way to bring out the leek’s aromatic, sweet onion and mild garlic flavor. They’ll quickly turn buttery soft and jammy, giving you so much flavor.

This is one of those recipes where it’s important to prep your ingredients before you begin cooking, starting with the cheese. You’ll need about a cup (plus more for finishing) of hard, aged cheese. I grated parmesan by cubing about four ounces off a block and running it through the food processor until it was finely grated. You could save yourself the effort and use a cheese that’s already grated, as long as it’s of a good quality from the refrigerated case, not the shelf-stable cheese in the shaker. Opt for coarsely grinding whole black peppercorns, as well.

While you’re prepping, cook the pasta according to the package directions. A long, thin pasta like bucatini is my preference, but whatever pasta you have on hand or prefer will be just fine. To be honest, I’ve made this plenty of times with orzo and was never disappointed.

Leeks are notoriously sandy, and cleaning them is the only tedious part of this recipe, and why many shy away from ever using leeks at all. My tried-and-true method makes quick work of this task. Remove the root ends and cut the tops just where they begin to turn dark green, then split the stalks lengthwise down the middle. Slice the leeks into half rings and give them a bath.

Put the leeks in a large bowl and fill with cold water. The leeks will rise to the top. Work them gently with your hands to separate the layers, allowing the sand and grit to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Scoop the leeks out with your hands to not agitate the grit that’s settled to the bottom. Repeat at least once more for good measure, and then fully wash or change out your cutting board and knife.

Find the thickest cut bacon at your grocery or butcher. You can see that my preferred cut is closer to slab bacon, at around a quarter-inch thick. It’s easy to dice and renders into small, tender cubes instead of crispy bacon crumbles. A quarter pound of bacon is plenty for this recipe, but I’ll leave how much you actually use entirely up to you.

Render the bacon in a large sauté pan. I always start bacon in a cold pan and bring it to medium heat. Doing this will slowly and gently render the fat and crisp the bacon without it scorching or bringing the fat beyond its smoke point. Drain the bacon, leaving a tablespoon of drippings behind.

Add the butter and leeks to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until the leeks are soft and translucent and begin to break apart, about five to ten minutes.

Return the bacon to the pan and with the leeks.

I always start bacon in a cold pan and bring it to medium heat. Doing this will slowly and gently render the fat and crisp the bacon without it scorching or bringing the fat beyond its smoke point.

Drain the pasta, reserving at least one cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the leeks and bacon and toss with a few tablespoons of the pasta water, which will warm and thin the butter, helping it cling to the pasta.

Toss the pasta with the parmesan cheese and pepper. Both the bacon and the cheese are quite salty, so it's unlikely you'll need to significantly add any salt to finish, but taste to adjust as needed.

Serve topped with additional grated cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, as desired. Even with the distinctly recognizable flavors of the bacon and parmesan, the leeks remain the star of this pasta. They’re silky, buttery, fragrant and sweet.

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Leek and Bacon Cacio e pepe

Season: Spring

Serves: 4

ingredients

4 ounces thick cut bacon, diced

4 medium leeks, sliced into half rounds (yields approx. 2 cups)

4 tbsp butter

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for topping

12 ounces pasta, such as bucatini

PREPARATION

In a large pan, cook the bacon over low to medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan. Add the butter, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook the leeks over low to medium heat until the leeks are soft, translucent and caramelized, five to ten minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain, reserving one cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the leeks, and add the bacon back to the pan. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to thin and loosen the butter.

Toss the pasta with the parmesan and black pepper and serve. Top with additional grated black pepper and parmesan as desired.

Recipe notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all recipes are developed with Kerrygold salted butter and Diamond Kosher salt. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, adjust the seasoning to your taste. If you use table salt, decrease recommended quantities of salt by around half.