Nunzia's Recipe for Cacio e Uovo
The Cacio e Uovo that Nuncia makes is perhaps one of the most traditional of the Abruzzese dishes. It is a simple mixture of cheese, egg and bread, made into balls and served in a light tomato sauce. Cacio e Uovo is a dish that is served in every trattoria, restaurant and home in Abruzzo, but for me, none can equal Nuncia’s.

For the sauce:

One chopped medium onion

Half of a chopped green pepper

3 dl tomato puree

2 dl water

Cover the bottom of a thick bottomed frying pan in olive oil.

Fry the onion and pepper in olive oil until the onion is golden brown.

Add the tomato puree.

Slowly cook the mixture until it thickens and then add the water to thin it.

For the dough:

300 g of day-old white bread (pane cassarecio)

5 medium eggs, beaten lightly

300 g of grated parmesan cheese

200 g of grated Rigatino or Peccorino cheese

The procedure:

Crumble the bread into a bowl.

Mix the eggs with the bread by hand.

Mix in the cheeses a little at a time.

The dough should be firm but soft.
Put the mixture aside. Let the dough rest for an hour in the fridge.

Remove the dough from the fridge, wet your hands and gently form it into balls 3cm. in diameter.

Place the balls well-spaced, in the sauce and cook them slowly under medium heat, turning them gently.

Cover the pan and cook them on low heat for several more minutes until they are firm.

Note:
This recipe is from the Vastese tradition. There are other variations where ricotta is added to the cheese mixture. In the nearby province of Molise, they are fried before adding them to the sauce.