Cacio e pepe recipe

The simplest of the four classic Roman pastas - just a cheesy pasta with a perfectly emulsified sauce. Name literally means "cheese and pepper"

Posted 2021-01-07

Time

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 225g spaghetti/linguine
• 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
• 55g (~1 cup) Pecorino Romano cheese, very finely grated, plus more for serving

Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium pan over medium-low heat until ingredients are fragrant and the pepper is barely starting to sizzle, about one minute. Set aside.
2. Place spaghetti in a large frying pan and cover with the minimum amount of water.
3. Season with a small pinch of salt.
4. Bring to a boil over a high heat, prodding spaghetti occasionally to prevent it from clumping.
5. Cook until spaghetti is al dente (typically about 1 minute less than the package recommends).
6. Transfer 2-3 tbsp of pasta cooking water to the pan with the olive oil/pepper mixture.
7. Stir in the butter.
8. Using tongs, lift the spaghetti and transfer it to the oil/butter mixture.
9. Add the cheese and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
10. Stir until the cheese has completely melted.
11. Add a few more tablespoons of pasta water to the pan to adjust consistency, reheating as necessary until the sauce is creamy and coats each strand of spaghetti.
12. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper.
13. Serve immediately, with extra grated cheese and black pepper.

Source

• Serious Eats - Cacio e Pepe

Verdict

Tasty and simple! This is my go-to dish for when I can’t be bothered to go shopping (assuming there’s pecorino left).