Cacio e Pepe
Indulge in the creamy, peppery goodness of authentic Cacio e Pepe—simple ingredients, unforgettable flavor!
Ingredients
- 800 g spaghetti
- 300 g pecorino romano, finely grated
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 3 tbsp fine salt
- 5 l water
How to make it
- Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large pot, add the fine salt, and cook the spaghetti until al dente, stirring often so the strands stay separate.
- While the pasta cooks, crush the black peppercorns coarsely with a mortar or the flat side of a pan, then toast them in a wide pan over medium heat until they smell warm and sharp.
- Scoop out about 2 dl of the starchy pasta water before draining the spaghetti.
- Add a small ladle of the hot pasta water to the toasted pepper and let it sizzle, then tip in a handful of pecorino and stir vigorously off the heat to make a thick, glossy paste.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss hard, loosening with more hot pasta water a little at a time until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce that clings to every strand.
- Keep tossing until the spaghetti looks evenly coated and silky, then divide it into warm bowls and finish with the remaining pecorino and a last shower of crushed black pepper on top.
