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Cacio e pepe

Cacio e pepe

A Roman classic stripped down to just three ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. The magic is in the technique — starchy pasta water and finely grated cheese emulsify into a silky, clinging sauce with no cream required. Ready in under 30 minutes and endlessly satisfying.

4 servings · Prep 5 min · Cook 20 min · Total 25 min

Italian · Dinner · Main Course

Ingredients

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  • 1 lb spaghetti or tonnarelli; a long, thick pasta works best
  • tonnarelli
  • 4 oz Pecorino Romano very finely grated on a microplane or the finest holes of a box grater
  • 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano very finely grated; adds depth alongside the Pecorino
  • 2 tsp whole black peppercorns coarsely cracked in a mortar or with the bottom of a heavy pan
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for pasta water — use less than usual so the starchy water isn't too salty
  • 4 cup pasta cooking water reserved before draining; you'll use it in stages
  • 1 tbsp Pecorino Romano extra, for finishing at the table
  • freshly cracked black pepper extra, for finishing

Equipment

  • Stovetop
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Skillet
  • Pot
  • Tongs
  • Ladle
  • Mortar and Pestle
  • Box grater

Instructions

  1. Bring a large #[Pot] of water to a boil. Add the @[Kosher Salt] — use about half what you'd normally use, since the starchy water will concentrate as you cook and you don't want an overly salty sauce. Add the @[Spaghetti] and cook until just shy of al dente, about ~[1–2 minutes] less than the package directions. While the pasta cooks, scoop out at least ~[2 cups] of the starchy @[Pasta Water] and set aside.
  2. While the pasta boils, toast the coarsely cracked @[Black Pepper] in a large, dry #[Skillet] over ^[medium heat] for about ~[1 minute], stirring, until fragrant. Add the @[Extra-Virgin Olive Oil] and swirl to combine. Pour in about ~[¾ cup] of the reserved @[Pasta Water] and let it simmer gently for ~[1–2 minutes] to infuse the pepper flavor into the liquid. Reduce the heat to ^[medium-low].
  3. Use tongs to transfer the just-under-al-dente pasta directly from the pot into the #[Skillet] (a little extra water clinging to the noodles is fine). Toss the @[Spaghetti] in the pepper-water mixture over ^[medium-low] heat, adding splashes of @[Pasta Water] as needed to keep things loose, and finish cooking the pasta for ~[1–2 more minutes] until al dente.
  4. Remove the #[Skillet] from the heat entirely — this is critical to prevent the cheese from clumping. Let it cool for ~[30 seconds]. Add the finely grated @[Pecorino Romano] and @[Parmigiano-Reggiano] in two or three additions, tossing vigorously with tongs and adding small splashes of @[Pasta Water] between each addition. The goal is a glossy, creamy sauce that coats every strand. If the sauce looks too thick, add a little more @[Pasta Water]; if too thin, toss a bit longer off the heat.
  5. Divide the pasta among warm bowls immediately. Finish each bowl with an extra crack of @[Black Pepper] and a pinch of additional @[Pecorino Romano] if desired. Serve right away — cacio e pepe waits for no one.