Cacio e pepe 'en vessie'

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Riccardo Camanini serves up his famous cacio e pepe 'en vessie' recipe, which entails cooking this classic pasta dish in a pig's bladder for a touch of theatre. The dish is a favourite at his restaurant on Lake Garda, Lido 84.

First published in 2017

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Cacio e pepe pasta en vessie

  • 1 dehydrated pig's bladder
  • 300g of rigatoni pasta, Riccardo recommends using Felicetti as it is strong and wont disintegrate during the 30 minutes of cooking
  • 135g of pecorino, aged black rind variety, grated
  • 90g of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3g of black pepper, freshly cracked
  • 12g of salt, Riccardo uses Guérande

Equipment

  • Twine

Method

1
Soak the dehydrated pig's bladder in cold water for about 10 days, changing the water daily
2
When the bladder is adequately hydrated, insert the other ingredients into it using a funnel, then firmly secure the bladder opening with kitchen twine
  • 12g of salt, Riccardo uses Guérande
  • 300g of rigatoni pasta
  • 135g of pecorino, aged black rind variety, grated
  • 90g of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3g of black pepper, freshly cracked
3
Cook the stuffed bladder in a large pan of boiling water, being sure to keep it submerged in the water and shaking it occasionally to mix the pasta inside. Cook for 30 minutes
4
Serve in front of guests by cutting open the bladder with a sharp knife and spooning the rigatoni onto plates
First published in 2017

Working with Italian legend Gualtiero Marchesi and Le Manoir’s Raymond Blanc made Riccardo Camanini see cooking as more than just a job – it became a passion.

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