Trader Joe's Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce, 411g

It’s the simplest recipes that often have the greatest staying power. Take cacio e pepe, for instance — translated literally as “cheese and pepper”, this creamy, flavourful, two-ingredient-centred sauce is thought to have been invented by shepherds in ancient Rome, but still proudly populates restaurant menus to this day. TJ's wanted to pay proper tribute to this sublimely simple, time-tested dish, so they went back to its ancestral roots to work with an Italian supplier who specializes in traditional recipes. Doing just as the Romans did, TJ’s Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce combines Pecorino Romano cheese, made from sheep’s milk, with bold, black pepper to create a cheesy, savoury sauce that’s deceptively simple, and simply delicious.

Now, a classic cacio e pepe dish that you’d find at a restaurant would usually be served over long, twirlable noodles like spaghetti or linguine. That’s an excellent option for our Cacio E Pepe too, but by all means, don’t feel boxed in: we find that this Cacio E Pepe serves excellently with all kinds of ravioli, or gnocchi, or in white lasagnas. Feel free, even, to serve it over steamed broccoli, a baked potato, or with grilled chicken breast.