Cacio e Pepe Pasta (Printable)
A Roman classic featuring creamy Pecorino Romano and bold black pepper coating al dente spaghetti for a luxurious, silky finish.
# What's Needed:
→ 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 Make It:
01 - Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot and add salt.
02 - Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the black pepper for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper. Let simmer.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine grated Pecorino Romano with a few tablespoons of hot pasta water to form a thick paste.
06 - Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with pepper and toss well. Remove from heat.
07 - Gradually add the cheese paste to the pasta, tossing quickly and adding more reserved pasta water as needed to form a creamy, silky sauce that coats the noodles evenly.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and a sprinkle of black pepper.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- Transforms five basic ingredients into something restaurant-worthy in under 30 minutes
- The emulsification technique youll learn here works magic on countless other pasta dishes
02 -
- Remove the pan from heat before adding cheese or it will seize into little grainy bits
- The sauce thickens quickly as it stands, so add more pasta water right before serving if needed
03 -
- Grate your cheese on the finest holes of a box grater or use a microplane for the smoothest texture
- If your sauce breaks, whisk a tiny bit of cold water into the cheese paste before trying again