So, some of you were interested in the first Cacio e Pepe experiment I did.

Well, here’s versions 2 and 3!

VERSION 2

This is the second experiment, with the Good Cheeses and the right amount of properly-coarse black pepper (my pepper-mill is weak, and only provided “barely coarse” for v.1).

All I can say is: WOW! The seemingly small difference in ingredients and amounts, in even such a simple dish, has wide-ranging effects!

While delicious, I found the 1/4 cup of coarse black pepper a little too.. zingy? And I like hot/spicy. So, that’s why I started in on…

VERSION 3

Changes from v.2 include:

• Change out 1/4 cup coarse black pepper for 1/8 cup (2T) coarse black pepper and 1/8 cup (2T) smoked Hungarian papkrika
• When you add the oil and butter to the pepper (+papkrika mixture after toasting), throw in about a clove, clove and a half, of diced garlic.

ZOMG, so delish!

I don’t think v.3 counts as Cacio e Pepe anymore, but hell with it — it tastes damned good.

Enjoy!

EDITED TO ADD:

BTW, Google Translate gives “cheese, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic” as:

formaggio, pepe, paprika affumicata, e aglio