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Authentic Cacio e pepe Recipe
Rome, Italy
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
The basis of all Roman pasta dishes, cacio e pepe, is a simple primo piatto consisting of only three main ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano, and pepper, with pasta cooking water being the crucial fourth ingredient that's essential to make the sauce. However, although at first glance, a simple dish to make, the technique may take some practice to perfect, since the sauce has to be just right — that is, creamy, silky, and luscious. The secret lies in concentrating starch by cooking pasta in a small amount of water, which is then used to dilute the Pecorino Romano before it's stirred, off heat, together with pasta, ground pepper, and the rest of the water. As a finishing touch, once plated, and before serving, all that is required is a light sprinkling of pepper and, optionally, grated pecorino.
Pair with
Cooking tips
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cheese
The Pecorino Romano should be finely grated to a consistency of dust, and ideally, aged about eight months. In case it is aged less, you run the risk of ending up with a lumpy sauce. Some recipes go for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which has better-melting properties; however, it is recommended to avoid using only Parmigiano-Reggiano, as pecorino has an unmistakable sharpness that cannot be imitated.... Read more -
pasta
Spaghetti and rigatoni are traditionally used, but one can also often find either pici pasta, which is basically thick spaghetti, or tonnarelli. In any case, short pasta should be avoided, as well as wide, long pasta, because in the last case, especially, the sauce will be too thick. -
pepper
The general rule is that the pepper should be freshly crushed, so you end up with a mixture that is part powder and part roughly cracked peppercorns. Some recipes take it a step further and suggest to either roast or fry the ground pepper or peppercorns in the same pan the dish is to be prepared to intensify its flavor. -
one-pan method
Some cacio e pepe conossineurs suggest employing the one-pan method, meaning that the pasta is cooked in the same pan the dish is prepared in. First, the pepper is roasted, and a small amount of water is added next. Once it boils, the pasta is added. Then, when the pasta is just shy of being al dente, a small portion of the cooking water is mixed with cheese to make a paste which is then added to ... Read more -
serving
Ideally, cacio e pepe should be served hot, on a hot plate, sprinkled with freshly crushed pepper and grated pecorino.
Recipe variations
Cacio e Pepe
PREP 10min
COOK 15min
READY IN 25min
This recipe is adapted from the YouTube channel Italia Squisita. The recipe and the method are by chef Claudio Gargioli, the owner of the Roman restaurant Armando al Pantheon.
Ingredients
400g spaghetti
180g Pecorino Romano
8 pinches of roasted and crushed pepper
salt, as needed
FOR SERVING
roasted and crushed pepper and Pecorino romano, to sprinkle over the dish, to taste
Preparation
Step 1/6
Roast the peppercorns in a nonstick pan over medium heat, until they start turning translucent.
Step 2/6
Then, place the peppercorns on a paper towel to cool. Once cooled, crush them in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a pan, so you end up with pepper that is fine as a powder but interspersed with larger specks of pepper.
Step 3/6
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then salt it and throw in the spaghetti to cook until al dente — ideally, boil the spaghetti in a smaller amount of water so you end up with cooking water that has more starch which will help make a creamier sauce.
Step 4/6
Add the Pecorino Romano to an aluminum pan, then add four ladlefuls of the hot cooking water, mixing it as you add.
Step 5/6
Once the cheese has melted, add the pepper, and add the pasta (take it out of the water using a carving fork or tongs, so there is still water left on the spaghetti) and mix until the sauce coats the spaghetti.
Step 6/6
Serve immediately, on a hot plate, sprinkled with pepper and Pecorino Romano.
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