Cacio e Pepe

Name: Cacio e Pepe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti or tonnarelli; 2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated; 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely ground; Kosher salt for pasta water

By Ben · cooked up in Sprig

⏱ 20 min🍽 Serves 6👨‍🍳 mediumitalian

VegetarianPescatarian

Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.

Three ingredients and centuries of Roman technique create something almost magical — the starchy pasta water binds with pecorino romano and freshly cracked black pepper into a glossy, clinging sauce that wraps around each strand like silk. The pepper blooms in the hot pasta water, releasing oils that perfume the entire dish. Best shared at a candlelit table with good wine and even better company.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti or tonnarelli
2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely ground
Kosher salt for pasta water

Instructions

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt generously until it tastes like seawater. The starchy, well-salted pasta water is crucial for creating the proper sauce.
Meanwhile, toast the ground black pepper in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cooking

Cook the pasta according to package directions until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than recommended). Reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
Return the skillet with toasted pepper to medium heat. Add 3/4 cup of the hot pasta water and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss vigorously with tongs, adding more pasta water as needed to keep the pasta moving freely in the liquid.

Finishing

Remove the pan from heat and immediately add 1 1/2 cups of the grated Pecorino Romano. Toss constantly and vigorously with tongs, adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to create a smooth, glossy sauce that coats each strand.
The sauce should be creamy and flowing, not thick or clumpy. If it breaks or becomes too thick, add more hot pasta water and toss vigorously off the heat.
Serve immediately in warmed bowls, topped with the remaining Pecorino Romano and additional freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Chef's tips

The key to perfect Cacio e Pepe is constant motion — never stop tossing the pasta once you add the cheese, and always work off the heat to prevent the proteins from seizing into clumps.
Use a large pan with plenty of surface area so the pasta can move freely. A narrow pot will make it nearly impossible to achieve the proper emulsion.
Grate your Pecorino Romano fresh on the finest holes of a box grater or microplane — pre-grated cheese won't melt smoothly and will create a grainy sauce.