Cacio e pepe

I am pleased to illustrate the recipe for the classic Roman dish, Cacio e Pepe. Here’s how to prepare this simple and delicious dish.

Ingredients

• 320 g of tonnarelli or spaghetti
• 200 g of finely grated Pecorino Romano
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste (q.b. stands for quanto basta, meaning ‘as much as needed’)
• Coarse salt q.b. for the pasta water

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a handful of coarse salt. Do not overdo it with salt since Pecorino Romano is already flavorful.
2. Cook the tonnarelli or spaghetti al dente according to the package instructions.
3. While the pasta is cooking, put a generous grind of black pepper in a large frying pan and lightly toast it over low heat. You can add a ladleful of pasta water to avoid burning the pepper.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.
5. Transfer the pasta to the pan with the pepper and set aside.
6. Add some of the grated Pecorino and a bit of the pasta water to create a cream, mixing energetically and quickly. If necessary, add more pasta water to achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.
7. Continue to mix until the cheese is completely melted and no lumps form.
8. Serve hot, with an additional sprinkling of Pecorino and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Remember that the pasta cooking water is a fundamental element in this recipe because the starch helps to bind and make the sauce creamy together with the Pecorino Romano.

Curiosity

The secret to a perfect Cacio e Pepe lies in the right balance of ingredients and the skill of mixing the pasta with the cheese and cooking water without the cheese forming lumps. Despite the few ingredients, the preparation technique is the key to the success of this dish.