Cacio e Pepe Rolls: A Cheesy, Savory Obsession
When the craving strikes and all you can think about is sinking your teeth into a warm, cheesy pastry, it's like your stomach has developed a mind of its own. That's exactly what happened to this writer, who found himself fixated on a tray of cinnamon rolls in an Italian grocery store. But his gaze soon shifted to the Alessi 4-Minuti Cacio e Pepe – a perfect match made in heaven.
After sketching out the cacio e pepe roll concept in his notebook, our author embarked on a mission to bring this cheesy, savory delight to life. He started with a sturdy, buttery dough that would hold its own against generous amounts of filling. The ideal balance between softness and structure was key – biscuit dough seemed too dense, while puff pastry's flakiness proved unreliable.
Brioche, on the other hand, struck just the right chord: rich, tender, and unwaveringly dependable. As baking with yeast can be intimidating, our author discovered that this dough is surprisingly forgiving, thanks to its high fat content and balanced sweetness level – a single tablespoon of sugar letting the butter shine.
Next came the filling, a masterful blend of silken cheese sauce, starchy pasta water, black pepper, and white miso for added depth. Unlike simply scattering cheese on the dough, our author opted for a richer approach: béchamel, one of France's five mother sauces, which transformed the humble combination into an unctuous delight.
Assembly was the final hurdle – rolling out the dough, spreading the béchamel, sprinkling with Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, and finishing with a dusting of black pepper. A rest in the fridge would help the dough firm up before baking, which brought it to life in all its bronzed, fragrant glory.
The crowning touch? A gentle milk wash for an irresistible sheen, followed by a brush of melted butter and another generous sprinkling of Parmesan and black pepper. The result was nothing short of sublime – an unforgettable cacio e pepe roll that had been plotting in the background all along, waiting to be devoured.
So if you're ready to indulge in this cheesy, savory obsession, here's how to make these heavenly rolls at home:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs + 1 extra yolk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
For the filling:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 2–3 tsp white miso paste
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
- Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
For finishing:
- 2 Tbsp milk (for the wash)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Extra Parmesan and black pepper for topping
When the craving strikes and all you can think about is sinking your teeth into a warm, cheesy pastry, it's like your stomach has developed a mind of its own. That's exactly what happened to this writer, who found himself fixated on a tray of cinnamon rolls in an Italian grocery store. But his gaze soon shifted to the Alessi 4-Minuti Cacio e Pepe – a perfect match made in heaven.
After sketching out the cacio e pepe roll concept in his notebook, our author embarked on a mission to bring this cheesy, savory delight to life. He started with a sturdy, buttery dough that would hold its own against generous amounts of filling. The ideal balance between softness and structure was key – biscuit dough seemed too dense, while puff pastry's flakiness proved unreliable.
Brioche, on the other hand, struck just the right chord: rich, tender, and unwaveringly dependable. As baking with yeast can be intimidating, our author discovered that this dough is surprisingly forgiving, thanks to its high fat content and balanced sweetness level – a single tablespoon of sugar letting the butter shine.
Next came the filling, a masterful blend of silken cheese sauce, starchy pasta water, black pepper, and white miso for added depth. Unlike simply scattering cheese on the dough, our author opted for a richer approach: béchamel, one of France's five mother sauces, which transformed the humble combination into an unctuous delight.
Assembly was the final hurdle – rolling out the dough, spreading the béchamel, sprinkling with Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, and finishing with a dusting of black pepper. A rest in the fridge would help the dough firm up before baking, which brought it to life in all its bronzed, fragrant glory.
The crowning touch? A gentle milk wash for an irresistible sheen, followed by a brush of melted butter and another generous sprinkling of Parmesan and black pepper. The result was nothing short of sublime – an unforgettable cacio e pepe roll that had been plotting in the background all along, waiting to be devoured.
So if you're ready to indulge in this cheesy, savory obsession, here's how to make these heavenly rolls at home:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs + 1 extra yolk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
For the filling:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 2–3 tsp white miso paste
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
- Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
For finishing:
- 2 Tbsp milk (for the wash)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Extra Parmesan and black pepper for topping
i mean, who needs a normal pastry when u can have this cheesy, savory goodness? i'm totally obsessed with the brioche dough tho - it's like butter and sugar just got along. 
). anyway, gotta try making these ASAP, any recipe or tips?
. They're literally a game changer - who knew combining pasta sauce with cheese on pastry dough could be so life changing? I was skeptical at first, but the combination of béchamel and melted butter is pure genius 
. The key to making it work is finding that perfect balance between softness and structure... trust me, brioche makes all the difference 
. Now I'm hooked - my family's been asking for these rolls every time we go out to Italian food 
. Next thing you know, they'll be inventing Cacio e Pepe Pancakes or waffles 
. Seriously though, give them a try and see what all the fuss is about 
, took me like 3 attempts but finally got it right! the key is that brioche dough holds its own against generous amounts of filling. and using béchamel sauce makes all the difference 
The idea of combining cacio e pepe with a flaky brioche dough is genius - it's like the ultimate comfort food mashup. And the addition of white miso paste gives it this rich, savory depth that's just wow. 
It's not surprising these rolls turned out so divine after all the effort put into creating them. Can't wait to try making them at home 
so I'm thinking we need to get baking ASAP! Cacio e pepe rolls sound like an amazing snack or dessert – or maybe both? 
– who's ready to take on the challenge of making these cheesy, savory masterpieces at home? 
it seems like the right dough is key, and I'm loving the idea of using brioche for its richness and tenderness. The addition of béchamel sauce is genius – what a game-changer! 
. First of all, have you noticed how suddenly every Italian grocery store has them on their shelves? It's like it's some kind of coordinated effort to brainwash us into loving this cheesy pastry even more than pizza 
. And the recipe, oh man... it's all so calculated and precise. Like they're trying to control our taste buds or something 
.
Are we just buying into their marketing scheme? I'm not saying it's bad, of course... but there's definitely something fishy going on here 
.
and now we get to indulge in these flaky, cheesy pastries that'll make our taste buds do the happy dance 
. brioche is def my go-to dough now, so nice to know its forgiving and all that jazz. and who knew béchamel would be the key to unlocking this cheesy goodness? 
i'm low-key impressed by how much effort went into creating these perfect little rolls... i mean, the addition of white miso paste is genius! 
next time i'm baking, ill def be giving these a shot 