Cacio E Pepe Sourdough Bread

Cacio E Pepe flavors folded into sourdough with pepper and pecorino grated cheese!

The Cacio E Pepe craze has been fun to see, especially all the recipe variations. I think it was the 1^st pasta dish I learned to cook and the 1^st one I made for my husband so naturally I HAD to make some sourdough bread with the ingredients. I have a partnership with Golden Steer seasonings- it is a famous steakhouse in Vegas, and I knew immediately I wanted to use their amazing pepper blend called Pepper Mafia Blend.

It is SO good. You can just use black pepper but if you are interested in getting some, I have a link for 10% off! SHOP HERE  https://goldensteer.com/?_kx=wV1iL-qjKx-clCtoYIy7BlKeeCu3SFdSWvqAHouklntLeA7LYzVckaz-I2NWgE2m.XmqmFd&snowball=JENNIFER96707&utm_campaign=JENNIFER96707&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldensteer.com%2FJENNIFER96707&utm_medium=affiliate-program&utm_source=snowball

Now if you do not have a Dutch oven, you can still make this recipe. To substitute, you can use a stock pot with lid, a cast iron pan, a pizza stone, or just a baking sheet. Now a baking sheet and pizza stone will not yield the same result BUT it will still give you great sourdough bread. The reason a Dutch oven is the perfect vessel, and my method of choice is it creates steam within the pan. It makes a tall, moist center and crunchy perfect ears on the crust! To do this we will be preheating the Dutch oven before adding the dough. So, you will want to do this when your dough is 30 minutes away from being ready to cook. This is the best and my favorite way to get the BEST Artisan bread!

You will need a sourdough starter to achieve the perfect loaf. If you do not have one already here is my recipe, and note it takes 6 days to make the starter.

Sourdough starter- Sourdough Starter

Look at this beautiful marbleing.

Okay let’s get started!

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour or AP Flour plus, more for dusting.
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter See inside post for my recipe.
• Pepper blend or black pepper. As much as you’d like to use
• Pecorino cheese, grated

You will also need…

• parchment paper
• 3 ice cubes
• lame, razor, or sharp knife.

Instructions

1. Combine the flour and water in a large bowl.
2. Mix and let it sit (Autolyse) for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, add the salt and starter. Mix and fold until smooth.
4. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. Stretch the dough and fold for a few minutes, cover and then rest for another 30 minutes.
6. Another round of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 30 more minutes.
7. Now we will carefully stretch the dough out into a rectangle. Get it as flat and even as possible.
8. Sprinkle on pepper and cheese. I use a heavy hand on pepper. Go lighter if you’d like because it can be rather spicy.
9. Now fold one end over, sprinkle with more cheese and a little pepper.
10. Then carefully fold/roll that into the middle. Now fold in the last part, kind of like folding a piece of paper.
11. Roll/fold fromone end to the other making a ball of dough.
12. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and let it sit for 1 hour. A warm spot is preferred. By a window with sunlight or any warm spot on the counter.
13. After 1 hour pull the dough up from the middle and fold. Continue to coil fold a few times then cover and back to fermenting for another hour. Repeat process 1 more time after this one.
14. Shape the dough and place into a lightly floured sourdough basket or round ceramic or plastic bowl. Bottom side up.
15. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
16. After 30 minutes refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 48 hours.
17. If I have time I refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
18. When ready to bake preheat the oven to 550°F
19. Put the Dutch oven and lid into the oven.
20. While that warms tear a strip of parchment paper to fit your Dutch oven. Place over the basket and flip over onto the paper.
21. Now score any way you choose. A simple X works or play with different designs. 
22. Carefully pick up the parchment paper and lower into the Dutch oven.
23. Drop 3 ice cubes in the Dutch and put on the lid. (Ice cubes add steam to the baking)
24. Place in the oven, lower the temperature to 450°F.
25. Bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
26. Pull out the parchment with the bread loaf and let it rest for 1 hour before slicing.
27. ENJOY!