Cacio e pepe croquettes: the recipe for a fragrant and tasty appetizer

Cacio e pepe croquettes are the richest variant of the classic potato croquettes. A recipe inspired in taste by the famous first course of Roman cuisine based on grated pecorino cheese and freshly ground pepper, ideal to bring to the table as an appetizer for a lunch or dinner with friends.

To prepare them, simply boil the potatoes in cold water, peel them while they are still hot, puree them with the tines of a fork and then mix them in a bowl together with the grated cheese, the whole egg and a generous pinch of pepper. Once you have shaped many cylindrical croquettes with your hands, it will be sufficient to dip them in the beaten eggs, then coat them in breadcrumbs and finally fry them in boiling seed oil until golden brown: the result will be morsels that are fragrant on the outside and soft at the centre, excellent to also serve for a homemade aperitif together with a creamy mayonnaise or a delicate yogurt sauce.

For a delightful melting effect you can insert a cube of smoked scamorza or fontina into the dough while, for a lighter result, you can place the croquettes on a baking tray, drizzle them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and then cook them in the oven at 200 °C for approximately 15 minutes.

If you prefer, you can enrich the preparation with diced cooked ham or crispy bacon, or you can flavor everything with a sprig of parsley or other aromatic herb of your choice.

How to prepare cacio e pepe croquettes

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and cook for about 40 minutes starting from the boil.

Once the time has passed, drain the potatoes, let them cool slightly and peel them; then collect them in a bowl and puree them with the tines of a fork.

Add some ground pepper.

Add the grated pecorino cheese.

Add the egg.

Incorporate the ingredients well until you obtain a creamy but consistent mixture, then shape many cylindrical croquettes with your hands.

Dip them in the beaten egg

Then roll it in the breadcrumbs, making it adhere well on all sides.

As they are ready, arrange the croquettes on a serving plate

Then dip the croquettes in plenty of boiling seed oil and fry them until golden.

Once ready, remove them with a slotted spoon

Leave them to dry on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper

Arrange the cacio e pepe croquettes on a serving plate 13, bring to the table and serve.

Tips

If you wish, you can coat the croquettes in a double breading, so as to seal them perfectly and make them even more crunchy to the bite, or you can put them in the freezer for a few minutes before dipping them into boiling oil: that way they won't fall apart during cooking and the final result will be flawless.

We suggest using a good pecorino romano DOP while, if you like less savory flavours, you can replace it with grated parmesan.

For this recipe, prefer red or yellow potatoes, with firm, compact and not very floury pulp or, for an even quicker recycling idea, replace them with stale breadcrumbs soaked in a drop of warm milk.