Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Printer View)

A luxurious Roman pasta featuring spaghetti tossed with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper for a creamy, savory sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti

→ Cheese & Spices

02 - 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra for serving

→ Others

04 - Salt for pasta water

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - In a large skillet over low heat, toast the black pepper for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and let it simmer.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with additional Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses five ingredients you probably already have, but somehow tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The creamy sauce happens without any cream, just starchy pasta water and good cheese doing their magic together.
02 -
  • If the cheese turns into a grainy clump instead of a sauce, your pan was too hot; start over with a new batch of cheese and keep the heat as low as it goes.
  • The pasta water is not optional; its starch is the only thing that emulsifies the fat in the cheese and creates that glossy, creamy texture.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese on the finest holes of your grater so it melts almost instantly when it hits the hot pasta.
  • Keep the reserved pasta water in a measuring cup next to the stove so you can add it in small splashes without losing your rhythm.
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