Cacio e Pepe
Rome's most iconic pasta: just spaghetti, aged Pecorino Romano, and cracked black pepper, transformed into a creamy, peppery masterpiece with zero cream.
🛒 Ingredients
- 200g spaghetti or tonnarelli
- 100g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated
- 30g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- coarse salt for pasta water
👨🍳 Method
- 1
Toast peppercorns in a dry skillet until fragrant, then coarsely crack in a mortar.
- 2
Cook pasta in well-salted but not excessive water (use less water than usual for starchier pasta water).
- 3
Toast cracked pepper in a large skillet with butter over medium heat for 1 minute.
- 4
Add a ladle of pasta water to the skillet; let it reduce by half.
- 5
Add al dente pasta (2 minutes before done) and toss vigorously, adding pasta water tablespoon by tablespoon.
- 6
Remove from heat. Sprinkle cheese in a steady stream while tossing constantly.
- 7
Keep tossing — the residual heat and pasta water emulsify the cheese into a sauce. Add water as needed.
- 8
Serve immediately with extra pepper and cheese.
💡 Chef's Tips
- →Remove from heat before adding cheese — too much heat causes clumping.
- →Use less cooking water than usual; the starch concentration is your sauce base.
- →Grate the cheese on the finest setting possible — it melts better.
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