Cacio e Pepe with Coconut Bacon
Try this Cacio e Pepe with Coconut Bacon recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Cacio e Pepe with Coconut Bacon recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt to taste
- for the pasta:
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 2 medium zucchinis blade d noodles trimmed
- for the coconut bacon:
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (not shredded)
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (i used hickory flavor but you can use anyone you'd prefer)
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- freshly cracked black pepper from a grinder
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese + more to garnis
- Carbohydrate 1.84726640661188 g
- Cholesterol 11 mg
- Fat 3.58626562500108 g
- Fiber 0.0314999985694885 g
- Protein 4.9029 g
- Saturated Fat 2.16441281250019 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (20g)
- Sodium 1935.60320312505 mg
- Sugar 1.8157664080424 g
- Trans Fat 0.222390000000001 g
- Calories 59 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the bacon, except for the coconut. Then, add in the coconut and toss together gently to mix well until all the coconut flakes are covered in the bacon dressing.
- Spread the flakes out into an even layer on the prepared baking tray and season with salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until flakes are mostly dry and turning golden on the edges. Keep in mind that the flakes will crisp as they cool, so don’t worry if your flakes aren’t crispy after 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the “bacon†from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While the bacon cools, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Then, add in the zucchini noodles and toss to cook, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Season the zucchini with a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper and add in the cheeses. Remove from heat, toss to combine thoroughly and then plate into two bowls. Top each bowl with a few more cranks of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of coconut bacon onto each plate. Garnish with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, if desired.
Crisp coconut flakes laced with hickory liquid smoke contrast sharply against tender ribbons of spiralized zucchini coated in sharp pecorino and parmigiano reggiano. Sugar in the maple syrup interacts with amino acids during the 350 degree oven bake to caramelize the coconut edges rapidly. Removing the tray at the 10 to 12 minute mark prevents bitterness while allowing residual heat to complete the dehydration. Coarsely cracked black pepper releases piperine compounds when crushed fresh from a grinder, delivering heat that cuts through the rich dairy fats. Zucchini contains high moisture levels that easily flood a pan, meaning garlic and red pepper flakes must cook in hot oil for precisely 30 seconds before the noodles enter to maintain structural integrity. High heat steams the vegetable quickly without dissolving its cell walls into mush. Storing prepared components separately avoids soggy flakes and watery vegetables, allowing a crisp second-day assembly by simply tossing fresh cheese and chilled noodles together before reheating gently.
