Cacio e Pepe Rolls

 

Cacio e Pepe Rolls

The popular cheesy, peppery pasta provides inspiration for these flaky, savoury rolls. For the best results, use a scale to measure flour, and ensure everything is chilled (except the cream cheese). The rolls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer for an impromptu cinq à sept celebration.   Makes 12 rolls.  

Ingredients:

Toasted Pepper Cream

1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter

1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup (60 mL) soft cream cheese, at room temperature

Dough
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour (390 g), plus more for dusting surface
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tsp (5 mL) fine sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces
1 cup (250 mL) chilled buttermilk, plus more as needed for dough and brushing
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) finely grated Pecorino Romano, chilled

Directions:
For the toasted pepper cream, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pepper and stir until fragrant, about 15 
seconds. Remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Stir until a smooth paste forms. Stir in butter mixture until well combined. Set aside.

To make dough, in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and pepper. Scatter in butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work butter into flour until no piece of butter is bigger than a pea. Pour in buttermilk and stir with a fork to combine. When dough is close to coming together, use your hands to mix in the final bits of flour. If the mixture still seems a bit dry, add 1 tsp (5 mL) buttermilk at a time, just until the dough comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a rectangle. Fold into thirds, as you would a letter. Rotate so long side is facing you. Cut in half crosswise and stack the two pieces on top of each other.

Using a rolling pin, gently roll dough into a rectangle and repeat process above.

Roll into a 9 x 12-inch (23 x 30-cm) rectangle with long side facing you. Spread toasted pepper cream to edges of dough. Sprinkle Pecorino Romano evenly overtop. Roll dough onto itself, lengthwise, into a tight coil. Cut log into 12 even rounds. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart, tucking tail of each 
roll underneath. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Place rack in centre of oven and preheat to 400°F (204°C).

Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving. (Rolls are best served on the day they are baked. The unbaked rolls can be frozen fully on the tray then transferred to a freezer bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. 

Bake from frozen and add a few minutes to the baking time.)