Adding a non-traditional spin, the cooks at Pizza to the Rescue (2601 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-314-4832, pizzatotherescuephx.com) garnish the dish with grated house-cured egg yolks. “It adds a nutty, umami flavor,” says general manager David Reali. Each plate of cacio e pepe ($19) is cooked to order using handmade pasta, pecorino Romano with a dash of aged Parmesan, cracked black pepper and a little butter to “pull everything together,” he says. Many Italian restaurants use tonnarelli, a thick, square-cut spaghetti, but Pizza to the Rescue opts for bucatini, a thick, tubular spaghetti that adds another level of texture. “It’s like a straw, so you have a little bit of sauce that creeps into the pasta.” While most folks go to this dog-friendly spot for the pizza, the made-in-house pasta also deserves a walk.
For restaurateur Sheila Bryson of Vic & Ola’s (20775 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, 480-513-2048, vicandolas.com), cacio e pepe ($14) evokes childhood memories of growing up in an Italian family. “It’s comfort food,” she says. Bryson crafts her version with house-made spaghetti bathed in a pecorino-Parmesan blend, cracked peppercorns (black, yellow and red), butter and pasta water. She removes the pasta from the water al dente because it will continue to cook in the pan. The secret to a successful cacio e pepe is constantly flipping and rotating the noodles in the pan while adding the pasta water to achieve the perfect creaminess, or the cheese will get clumpy, she says. “You have to stir until you get the right consistency, and you can’t walk away or watch another pan. It’s a pretty simple dish, but it’s not as easy to make as you’d think.”
— Marilyn Hawkes