Cacio e Pepe
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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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)
523 calories; 15 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 66 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 596 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.
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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!
Big fail for me. Sauce never got saucy, wasted a ton of good cheese that wound up clumpy and gross. Avoid this one.
Food writers in America consistently get this wrong. I've heard one say it's the most difficult he has ever tried, and the Italian chefs just laugh because it's simple and it doesn't have to be a chemistry experiment. Lately, people are cheating by using other cheeses, or adding butter or olive oil. Check this out from an Osteria chef in Rome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JHAOGJllMQ
I hate to be critical of a recipe, but just came here to say that I’ve tried this many times. Each time I forget that it won’t work and then it doesn’t. I finally made myself a note to say “stop trying this. Look elsewhere.” It turns into a gluey, grey sticky mass that only sticks to the bowl and tongs. I think the method where the pepper is first cooked in oil or butter and then pasta water is added and reduced adds the necessary starch to thicken the sauce. This one just isn’t it.