Artist's palate: Landon Metz’s recipe for cacio e pepe
New York-based artist Landon Metz’s recipe for cacio e pepe is a minimal yet magic addition to our monthly artist's palate series, an homage to our favourite contemporary art
The key to a successful cacio e pepe, says New York-based artist Landon Metz, ‘is for each ingredient to be of the highest quality: punchy peppercorns, unsalted butter, a sharp pecorino Romano’. Like Metz’s pared-back paintings, which involve the application of thin washes of acrylic dye onto raw canvas, his favourite dish is proof that the precise execution of a simple formula can yield remarkable results. It’s about ‘stripping back the noise to have a raw experience with life. I’m interested in experiences that manage to transcend the sum of their parts,’ he says. ‘Sometimes the simplest things can be magic.’
Landon Metz’s recipe for cacio e pepe
Ingredients
200g spaghetti
freshly ground black pepper
a little butter or olive oil
50g very finely grated pecorino Romano
Method
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Cook the pasta, a little less than the recommended cooking time, in just enough water to cover it, until al dente. Siphon off around 100ml-150ml of the cooking water, then drain the rest. In a separate pan, over a low heat, toast some freshly ground black pepper in a little oil or butter. Add the drained pasta and 100ml cooking water to the pan, then sprinkle over the cheese and leave (don’t stir) for about 30 seconds. When the cheese has melted, toss together well to coat the pasta, adding a little more water if the sauce needs loosening. Serve sprinkled with more freshly ground black pepper.
In November 2023, Landon Metz will have a solo exhibition at von Bartha Gallery in Basel, Switzerland. landonmetz.com, waddingtoncustot.com
A version of this article appears in the March 2023 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today!
TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23), where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine, planning, commissioning, editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars. He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises, such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards, Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series. He aims to create world-class, visually-driven content while championing diversity, international representation and social impact. TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013, and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20, winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University.
-
First look: Vyrao’s latest neuroscientific fragrance bottles the grounding effect of a digital detox
Vyrao’s earthy new fragrance ‘Mamajuju’ provides sensory respite from screen time. Lara Johnson-Wheeler speaks with brand founder Yasmin Sewell for a Wallpaper* preview
By Lara Johnson-Wheeler Published
-
Kengo Kuma’s new Kyoto hotel is ‘a sanctuary of ethereal beauty’
A former ryokan inn, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto offers onsen rooms equipped with natural hot spring water, and a contemporary take on a Noh theatre
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Frieze London 2024: everything to see and do
As London gears up for Frieze Week (7-13 October 2024), here are the must-sees inside and outside the fair
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
Artist’s Palate: Chiharu Shiota’s recipe for okonomiyaki
Get tangled up in Chiharu Shiota’s recipe for okonomiyaki, from our January 2023 issue’s Artist’s Palate feature, a Wallpaper* homage to our favourite contemporary art
By TF Chan Published
-
Artist’s Palate: Jose Dávila’s chocolate fudge with pecans
Try Jose Dávila’s indulgent recipe for chocolate fudge with pecans, from our December 2022 issue’s Artist’s Palate feature, a Wallpaper* homage to our favourite contemporary art
By TF Chan Published
-
Josh Sperling: a daydream of squiggles, swirls and minimalism in New York
In his new show, ‘Daydream’, American artist Josh Sperling dominates Perrotin New York with large-scale squiggle installations and minimalist monochrome works that draw on functional design
By Pei-Ru Keh Last updated
-
Remembering the mind-bending art of Dan Graham (1942–2022)
American artist and writer Dan Graham, whose hybrid output warped perceptions and defied genre has died in New York aged 79
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Last updated
-
The remarkable life of artist Carmen Herrera: 1915-2022
Carmen Herrera, the Cuban-born American artist whose experiments with space and colour blazed a trail in geometric abstraction, has died in New York aged 106
By Diane Theunissen Last updated
-
Wang Gongxin at White Cube: hidden cameras, eerie minimalism and grey matter
Wang Gongxin’s show at White Cube Mason’s Yard explores cultural polarities and in-between states through 13 captivating new multimedia works
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Last updated
-
Holly Hendry’s mum’s banoffee pie recipe
Gorge on Holly Hendry’s glutinous recipe for banoffee pie, credited to her mother. As featured in our monthly Artist’s Palate series, a Wallpaper* homage to our favourite contemporary art
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Last updated
-
Michael Craig-Martin turns Covid-era objects into icons
Irish artist Michael Craig-Martin confronts a new age of consumer culture, putting his striking, bold-coloured spin on objects defining the times
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Last updated