Yes, there is a story behind this video. Get ready.
Last year, my good friend Alberico was arguably the most popular contestant on the first season of MasterChef Italia. He didn’t win, but as usual with non-winning contestants of these types of shows, he certainly did not fade away.
First, he was outed by the Italian press in connection with Tiziano Ferro, a famous musician who himself came out via memoir. (They’re just friends.) Then he was hired by Airest, a company that runs several high-end fast food chains, as their public face. From there he’s appeared on Buongiorno Cielo a couple times a week, chatting with the amusing host Paola Saluzzi at some ungodly hour of the morning and showing videos of quick and easy recipes. Then the two of them published a summer cookbook, with three more to follow, one for each season. And who knows what he’ll be up to next. The man is a force of nature.
In this cookbook, there is a recipe called Tagliolini Alla Cantera. It’s basically the most decadent version of my all-time favorite dish, cacio e pepe, and it was named after me. So Alberico had me come to his studio kitchen and cook the dish for him. And by “cook,” I mean he cooked it (really well, I might add) while I tried not to look or sound too ridiculous. It was shown on TV this morning, and hopefully housewives throughout Italy will be making it for lunch this afternoon.
The video is (obviously) in Italian, but you’ll get the idea. Try not to fall off your chair when you hear my Italian.
OMG! Christine! That’s the coolest thing ever! And I cannot get over how much the camera loves you. You were a total natural, with your smiles and the perfectly placed giggles, like you do this every week in your own kitchen and oh! is that a camera over there? Welcome! You’re the cutest thing in the world, no lie.
And this part has nothing to do with you, but I’m thrilled that I actually understood the gist of it! THE GIST! Unless I’m mistaken, you said you used to make this in college when you were broke and then when you came to Rome you found this dish in a restaurant? Yes? If I’m wrong, please keep it from me because I’m so proud of myself.
I love this. Thank you for sharing it.
You are the best! And yes, that’s EXACTLY what I said!
YOU ARE A SPECIAL KIND OF LADY AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.THE BLOGS ARE SO VERY ENJOYABLE AND INTERESTING,GODS LOVE AND BLESSINGS.
Thanks Grandpop! You are my biggest fan.
You are so adorable – I love it! I’m leaving for my first trip to Italy on Monday and I have LOVED reading your blog! 🙂
Fabulous – have a wonderful time!
How super awesome! I remember watching Alberico on TV! Way cool!
He’s so charismatic, isn’t he?
Je t’adore, ma petite Christine. I love seeing this worldly, accomplished adult woman on the outside and the little NJ girl who played Pepper on the 4th National tour of Annie giggling just underneath the surface. PS Sure wish I could cook–I would chow this down in a sec.
Awww, you made me teary. And trust me, you can totally make that – it takes like 30 seconds. I always say, if I can’t make it while the water’s boiling, I don’t make it.
Belli!!
Cacio e pepe is one of my favorite Italian dishes of all time…
And Alberico has a dreamy voice 😉
Ha, you think? I suppose he does!
LOVE! That made me smile this morning and will have to try this recipe soon! 🙂
Please do, it is DELICIOUS.
That was SO cool! I bought your book and have been reading it and it’s been inspiring me to dream about living abroad. I admire your spirit of adventure and bravery. Your blog has kept me captivated for several years now and I especially liked the post about you and your friends (Mafia) in the beautiful home. That looked like so much fun.
Your Italian sounded great to me…but what do I know…I’m a Texas girl. 🙂
WOW! Thanks so much!
And your Italian is quite good. You kept up with him beautifully. And since you both were going so slowly I understood quite a lot! Thanks. R
I’m so glad, sometimes it appears with subtitles and sometimes it doesn’t, I don’t know why.
Christine, that was so great to see and hear you. It’s been too long. Going to make the dish this weekend.
Do it! And post the results on FB!
YOU SUPERSTAR!!! You look and sound gorgeous! And the food looked OK too! And just this morning I colored what little hair I have, requesting that it looks like my friend Christine when we ran amuck on the LES – it turned out yellow. Next I want your curls – you just looked so at home and beautiful in front to the camera.
I need an update from you!
Superstar!
You were fantastic. It’s not easy to cook on camera and be natural. Perhaps you should have your own TV show. I’d watch.
Thanks, I’m flattered!
What a great recipe! I never thought of pre-warming the butter and cheese. Can’t wait to make cacio & pepe at home.
It’s SO GOOD. I’ve also been adding some lemon zest to it.
AWESOME… just watched it again (randomly) and love how you GLOW on camera and how yummy that looks, but Lyd did comment that our pasta portions are LOTS bigger…haha
Congratulations for being on the show! This must have been quite the experience.
Wow! Bain Marie just blew my mind! Awesome video. Making this ASAP