These Easy Cacio E Pepe Potato Chips Should Be in Your Super Bowl Spread
Two years ago I reached my cacio e pepe saturation point . The combination of pecorino romano (or, in some recipes, parmigiano reggiano) and pepper was everywhere and on everything. It still is. And while I still think we should collectively expand the range of pasta, even I have to admit that cheese and pepper are two great flavors that go great together.
It also makes even the simplest of snacks look and feel intentional (which is why food writers love to add it to everything – it’s a delicious crutch). Imagine two bowls of potato chips: one of them is just a bowl of chips, with nothing on or around it. The second is topped with a small mound of fluffy parmigiano or pecorino, with grains of freshly ground pepper breaking up the white cloud. Which one looks more attractive, tastier? Which one looks like it was prepared for guests?
Cacio e pepe chips are the perfect addition to any last-minute party, especially a TV-watching party like the Super Bowl (or Oscars) party. Pecorino may not be a traditional football-watching cheese (that would be Velveeta), but cheese + chips is a classic game-day formula – or “game” if you will – that your entire team is sure to enjoy. Hot, flowery peppers bring out the glutamates in the cheese and balance out the salt in the chips—it really is the perfect snack.
Making cacio e pepe chips is what I call “easier than falling off a log”. Place the chips in a wide, shallow bowl (or on a rimmed plate), then grate a whole bunch of peck or parma directly onto the crispy potato slices. Use a microplane for the fluffiest texture and don’t be afraid to do it for real. (The higher your cheese pile, the closer to God!) Finish with a whole bunch of freshly ground peppers. (After all, it’s in the title.)