Bold takeaway: The pasta world in Philadelphia now hinges on Marc Vetri, a pioneer whose craft turns a simple bowl of pasta into a storied experience. And this is the part most people miss: the simplest ingredients, when treated with care, reveal the deepest flavors.
Marc Vetri has become synonymous with pasta in Philadelphia. His South Philly hotspot Fiorella recently earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, underscoring his influence in the scene. He also released a dedicated pasta cookbook, aptly titled The Pasta Book, which spotlights a tested collection of his beloved pasta recipes.
Among the dishes Vetri shares is a classic Roman staple: cacio e pepe. He emphasizes that Italian cooking often champions simplicity—three ingredients, at most—and that philosophy guides this dish.
Cacio e pepe, literally translated as cheese and pepper, is the focus of Vetri’s home kitchen version, one of the recipes featured in The Pasta Book.
Vetri chuckles at the straightforward name, noting that its honesty mirrors the approach he takes to cooking: keep it real and flavorful. Central to his philosophy is a single, memorable idea: hug the noodle. The goal is to create a flawless partnership between pasta and sauce, not a clumsy, separated combination.
The book opens with Sal Vetri, Marc’s late father and longtime inspiration, reminding readers that a love for food often starts at home with family meals and warm hospitality.
Vetri credits a collaborative effort behind the book. The cooks and chefs from his network—Vetri, Fiorella, Pizzeria Salvy, and other ventures in Las Vegas and Japan—contributed their own insights and pasta wisdom, enriching the collection with diverse perspectives.
The shared mantra remains simple: hug the noodle. Too much sauce slathered over dry pasta is a culinary misstep; the goal is a sauce that clings, yielding a harmonious bite every time.
Vetri began his career 27 years ago with Vetri Cucina on Spruce Street, and The Pasta Book chronicles his evolving journey and the many pasta experiences along the way. He describes this current project as both a storybook and a celebration of pasta, a departure that feels especially joyful compared with his previous volumes.
Marc Vetri’s Cacio e Pepe Recipe (serves 4)
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb store-bought dried spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut into pieces
- 2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Directions:
1. Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, tasting the water to ensure it resembles well-seasoned broth. Add the spaghetti, stir, and cover to return to a boil. Once boiling again, uncover or partially cover to maintain a lively boil and cook until al dente, about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the pepper and sauce: Immediately after dropping the pasta, crush the peppercorns on a cutting board by smashing them with a heavy pan to create a mix of small and larger pepper fragments for texture. In a very large, deep sauté pan (around 12 inches with high sides), melt the butter over high heat. Add the cracked pepper and 2 cups of the hot pasta water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, like a light soup, about 3–5 minutes. If the pasta finishes early, remove the pan from heat.
Marry pasta and sauce: When the spaghetti is ready, return the sauce to high heat and transfer the cooked pasta directly from the pot into the pan using tongs or a pasta fork. Swirl and toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes to allow the sauce to cling to the noodles, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to keep the sauce loose and creamy. Continue until the pasta and sauce cohere.
Finish and serve: Remove from heat and stir in the Pecorino Romano and Parmesan, tossing until the sauce thickens further and coats the pasta evenly, with little to no sauce left in the pan. Plate using tongs to form a generous mound. Finish with extra grated Parmesan and serve while warm.
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