Zia Hatch Green Chile Cacio e Pepe

Our Hatch Green Chile provides a great complement to the soft cheesy flavors of this simple pasta dish that appears on almost every menu in Rome. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 jar Zia Hatch Green Chile (strained)
• 3/4 lb of Tonnarelli pasta, or thick spaghetti if you cannot find tonnarelli
• 1.5 cups (~.4 lb wedge) Pecorino Romano, finely grated 
• 1 cup (~.3 lb wedge) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 1 tbsp ground Black Pepper
• Salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions: 

1. Strain Zia Hatch Green Chile and grate Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses into a large bowl. Mix in black pepper. 
2. Pour just enough cold water into the cheese mixture (start with 1/4 cup and go from there) to be able to mash it into a thick paste. Once the texture resembles this, mix in strained Zia Hatch Green Chile. 
3. In a large pot, bring a pot of generously salted water to boil. Once boiling, add in pasta and cook until al dente (around 2 minutes undercooked). While pasta is boiling, bring a separate cast iron skillet or pan to low heat. 
4. Once pasta is al dente, remove from heat and use tongs to transfer the pasta to the skillet. Add some pasta water and olive oil and begin to slowly add in the cheese mixture, mixing constantly until the cheese is creamy and formed to the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed throughout this process to keep the cheese saucy and creamy rather than thick and clumpy. 
5. Transfer to a bowl and finish with more grated pecorino and black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy!