Cacio e Pepe
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1½cups finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
- 1cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
- ¾pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
- Good olive oil
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
678 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 40 grams protein; 1152 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
- Step 2
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), reserve a cup or so of the cooking water, then use tongs to quickly transfer the pasta to the bowl. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
- Step 3
Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
Just wanted to say that everyone arguing about authenticity of this recipe or any variation thereof is doing the most authentically Roman thing you can do.
Sorry guys but this is not the right way to make Cacio e Pepe. You transfer the pasta into a skillet, put some of the pasta water there and slowly add the cheese while flip mixing the pasta to create your sauce that sticks. You have to do this for a good 1-2 minutes.
Peter's right: transfer pasta to a skillet with some pasta water when it's still 1-2 minutes undercooked and gradually add the cheese (+ more water if needed). But the most important detail for absolutely delicious cacio e pepe - toast whole peppercorns in a small cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat, shaking occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until aromatic or until they start to dance around in the skillet. Crush in a mortal and pestle and use instead of raw pepper. Amazing!
Thanks to Chloe, 7 years ago, who pointed out the obvious solution to gobs of sauce. and the stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan: heat it back up. This will save my pesto and every other kind of cheese-heavy pasta. I added artichoke hearts, sauteed minced garlic, lardons, breadcrumbs, and a couple cherry tomatoes---so you don't have to. I think it's best unadulterated.
The moment you add the pasta to the bowl with cheese, it melts and just clumps. Because….WHAT ELSE WOULD HAPPEN TO CHEESE THE MOMENT YOU PUT SOMETHING HOT ON IT?! This is a very simple dish but it is actually quite difficult to make. You almost need a second person gradually adding the cheese while you vigorously stir the noodles already coated in pasta water. It does not make sense to make a cheese “paste” for hot noodles to sit on top. Recipe for disaster, I wasted two cups of freshly grated cheese and am not happy. :(
Followed this recipe to the T and the cheese completely seized and clumped up and separated. Super disappointing. Ended up trying to reincorporate it all by cooking over a low heat but it was still a sticky, clumpy mess, not at all a creamy sauce. I’d skip this recipe