Cacio e pepe (Pasta with cheese & black pepper) All products on this page have been selected by the editorial team, however Stylist may make commission on some products purchased through affiliate links in this article 5 min read Whether you have friends coming over or it’s just you, […]
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5 min read
Whether you have friends coming over or it’s just you, these speedy pasta recipes promise to hit the spot, whether you’re vegan or not.
If you’re starving after work or entertaining friends at the weekend, pasta is always a good idea. Whether it’s cacio e pepe or a traditional ragu from Bologna, you can’t beat a plate piled high with pasta. But it’s not always the best choice for those with dietary requirements or intolerances. Whether you follow a dairy-free diet or are strictly vegan, it can be tricky to enjoy classic Italian recipes without meat and dairy.
And that’s exactly what born and raised second-generation Italian Giuseppe Federici found when he decided to go vegan.
Working with his Nonna, he found new ways to reinterpret delicious Italian dishes using the same classic techniques and flavours but with all plant-based ingredients. And now the pair are sharing the recipes in his debut cookbook, Cooking With Nonna.
Filled with countless recipes that celebrate rustic Italian home cooking and the joy of plant-based eating, it’s sure to please both meat-eaters and vegans alike. And because there’s nothing like a speedy pasta dish, we’re sharing three dishes that can be on your table in less than 30 minutes.
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Cavatelli agli spinaci (Kinda Cavatelli with spinach)
Giuseppe says: “If making fresh pasta sounds a bit scary, this is for you! It’s practically foolproof, as you don’t need any fancy equipment, just a pair of scissors. This technique actually originated in China but recently went viral on social media thanks to my good friend Seema Pankhania (@seemagetsbaked). This recipe uses a tangy lemon and parsley sauce, but you can also try it with pesto.”
Serves: 2–3
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients
- 250g spinach
- 150–170g tipo 00 flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 30g fresh parsley
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of ½ a lemon
- 3 tbsp vegan cream cheese (approx. 100g)
- sea salt and black pepper
- grated plant-based Parmesan or cashew Parmesan, to serve
Method
Blend the spinach, 150g of flour and the salt in a food processor until well combined. The mixture will look a bit grainy, but that’s OK. If the dough is sticky to touch, add a touch more flour and blend again.
Remove the mixture to a floured surface and clump it all together with your hands, then knead for 2–3 minutes.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and season with salt. Then, using a pair of scissors, slice off thin, long pieces of the dough, approx. 5cm long and 1cm wide, and let them drop into the water.
Cook until al dente, which should take only about 2–5 minutes (they should float to the top when ready).
Meanwhile, slice the garlic and chop the parsley. Put 2 table- spoons of olive oil into a frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and stir to infuse the oil.
Add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, cream cheese, salt and black pepper, and mix well to combine.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and stir well, then cook for a further 1 minute so the liquid thickens up.
Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan and a pinch of black pepper.
Cacio e pepe (Pasta with cheese & black pepper)
Giuseppe says: “When I asked Nonna to help me make a vegan cacio e pepe she laughed in my face – but I was intent on veganising this classic Italian dish. It’s so much simpler than you think, and it uses my homemade cashew Parmesan, which I like to make in bulk and store in the fridge.”
Serves: 3–4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients
- 350 dried linguine, bucatini or spaghetti
- 8 tbsp olive oil, approx. 150ml
- 1 tsp coarse, freshly ground black pepper
Cashew Parmesan:
- 120g raw cashews
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp flaky salt
Method
Place all the ingredients for the cashew Parmesan in a small food processor or blender and blitz to a fine powder.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pan of salted boiling water. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 200ml of the pasta water before draining.
Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the ground pepper. It should sizzle immediately. Give it a stir and quickly add 5 tablespoons of the cashew Parmesan. Stir for 30 seconds to combine, then pour in the reserved pasta water.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring quickly to the boil, stirring all the time. Boil until the sauce has thickened and is rich and creamy. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until fully coated. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Serve in bowls, with the extra cashew Parmesan on the side to sprinkle over.
Pasta con i broccoli (Pasta with broccoli)
Giuseppe says: “Pasta with broccoli is Nonna’s all-time favourite pasta dish – but she doesn’t get to make it as often as she likes because Nonno only likes to eat pasta with tomato sauce every single day! This is one of my most viral dishes on social media and so many people tell me they make it at least once a week.”
Serves: 2–3
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ a leek
- 2 spring onions
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g pasta of your choice (farfalle, penne, orecchiette)
- 1 veg stock cube
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp toasted breadcrumbs, plus extra for serving
- vegan Parmesan (optional)
- salt and pepper
Method
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Break or slice the broccoli into small chunks, keeping the stalks in too, and boil for 5–6 minutes.
While the broccoli is cooking, finely slice the garlic, leek and spring onions. Fry in olive oil on a medium heat until soft (approx. 5–10 minutes).
Remove the cooked broccoli from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a chopping board. Don’t throw away the water! Chop the broccoli into smaller chunks and add to the pan of leeks.
Add your pasta to the same pan of water you cooked the broccoli in, and cook until al dente. Nonna’s favourite shape for this dish is farfalle or ‘butterfly’, but penne or orecchiette also work well.
Season the broccoli mixture with salt and pepper. Dissolve the stock cube in a ladle of the pasta cooking water (approx. 100ml) and add to the vegetables.
When the pasta is al dente, transfer it to the vegetable pan, add the breadcrumbs and mix everything together. Add another ladle of pasta water here if needed, to help loosen the mixture.
Turn off the heat and serve immediately, with grated Parmesan if you like, and extra toasted breadcrumbs.
Cooking with Nonna by Giuseppe Federici (£25, Penguin Michael Joseph) is out now
Photography: David Loftus
Topics
Food And Drink Recipes Cooking Cookbooks
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