Cacio e Pepe Pasta (Printable)
A luxurious Roman pasta featuring creamy Pecorino Romano and aromatic black pepper in a silky sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli
→ Cheese & Seasoning
02 - 2.8 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
04 - 1/2 tsp salt for pasta water
→ Other
05 - 4 cups water
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Stir in the salt until dissolved.
02 - Add spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
03 - While pasta cooks, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the freshly ground black pepper and toast for 1 minute until fragrant, swirling the pan occasionally.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water into the skillet with the toasted pepper. Let simmer gently.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated Pecorino Romano with a few tablespoons of hot pasta water. Mix vigorously with a fork until a thick, smooth paste forms.
06 - Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the pepper-infused water. Toss thoroughly using tongs. Remove from heat.
07 - Gradually add the cheese paste to the pasta, tossing rapidly and constantly. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, creamy sauce that coats each strand evenly.
08 - Divide between two warmed bowls. Top with additional grated Pecorino Romano and a fresh grinding of black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You'll feel like a Roman nonna with just three ingredients and twenty five minutes
- The cheese sauce becomes silkier than anything you've ever made from scratch
- Your kitchen will smell like an Italian trattoria without any fancy techniques
02 -
- The sauce will look terrifyingly clumpy for about thirty seconds before suddenly coming together into silk
- Working off the heat prevents the cheese from separating into oily strings
- You must toss constantly, or the sauce will coat the pan instead of your pasta
03 -
- Grate your own cheese, since pre-shredded varieties contain anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting
- Invest in a microplane or fine grater for the Pecorino, as larger shreds won't incorporate smoothly