Cacio e Pepe
Rome's greatest pasta and one of the most technically demanding simple dishes in Italian cooking — spaghetti or tonnarelli tossed in a sauce of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan with an extraordinary amount of coarsely cracked black pepper. The skill is in achieving a smooth, emulsified cheese sauce without lumps or gloopiness. Three ingredients, one of the world's greatest pastas.
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min
Ingredients
Method
Cook pasta in LESS water than usual (more starchy). Cook 2 minutes less than packet says; it finishes in the pan.
About 4 min
Toast cracked black pepper in a large, dry, wide pan over medium heat 30 seconds until fragrant.
About 9 min
Add 2 ladles of starchy pasta water to the pepper; simmer 1 minute to make a pepper "broth".
About 9 min
Drain pasta (keep all the water). Add pasta to the pepper pan; toss with tongs. Remove from heat.
About 9 min
Add mixed Pecorino and Parmesan in 3 additions, tossing vigorously and adding starchy water gradually to create a smooth, glossy, clinging sauce. The cheese should emulsify — not clump. Serve immediately with more Pecorino and pepper on top.
About 3 min
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 820 mg
Contains: gluten, dairy, eggs
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Recipe by Boon Tools.