Crescendo: Bucatini Cacio E Pepe

Method

1. Boil the pasta according to its directions. Ideally getting freshly made pasta would be best for this dish. While the pasta cooks, heat a non-stick skillet of medium-high heat. Add the grated parmesan to the skillet and scrape into a rough circle pattern. Cook till it lightly browns both sides. Gently remove from the heat with a spatula and drape over a glass bowl to form a cup shaped mold. Allow to cool and set aside.
2. Slice the baguette into lengthwise pieces and toast. Place the cherry tomatoes into an oven safe dish and turn the oven to the broil setting. Cook until the cherry tomatoes begin to blacken and burst. Spread a layer of mascarpone onto the toast and add the cherry tomatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of crescendo on top.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving a half a cup of the cooking water for later. Return the pasta to the pot and add 2 tablespoons of Pecorino cheese, 1 tablespoon of mascarpone cheese and a copious amount of cracked black pepper. Slowly add the Crescendo spice one tablespoon at a time, depending upon your tolerance for cocoa and its richness. Stir and gently add the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
4. Gently plate the pasta inside the parmesan cups and lightly sprinkle with more pecorino and the LXV Crescendo spice blend.
5. Serve alongside the cherry tomato toast and a glass of LXV Reserve Sangiovese.
6. Cocoa, Honey, Aleppo Pepper, Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt, & Other Spices