Cacio e Pepe Pasta (Printable)

Creamy Pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper create this luxurious Roman pasta classic in just 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli

→ Cheese & Seasoning

02 - 2.8 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
04 - 1/2 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Other

05 - 4 cups water

# Steps:

01 - Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Stir in the salt until dissolved.
02 - Add spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Before draining, reserve approximately 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.
03 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the freshly ground black pepper and toast for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water into the skillet with the toasted pepper. Let simmer gently over low heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated Pecorino Romano with 2-3 tablespoons of hot pasta water. Whisk vigorously until a thick, smooth paste forms.
06 - Transfer the cooked, drained spaghetti to the skillet with the pepper-infused water. Toss thoroughly with tongs to coat evenly. Remove from heat.
07 - Gradually incorporate the cheese paste into the pasta, tossing rapidly with tongs. Add additional reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, creamy sauce that clings to each strand.
08 - Plate immediately while hot. Garnish with additional grated Pecorino Romano and a generous grinding of fresh black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese sauce becomes impossibly creamy without any actual cream
  • It's ready in about 20 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant
  • The technique works once you get it, and then it's yours forever
02 -
  • If you add the cheese directly to hot pasta while it's still over heat, the cheese will separate into a greasy mess
  • The pasta water is the secret ingredient that makes the cheese emulsify into a silky sauce
03 -
  • Grate the cheese right before you start cooking for the smoothest sauce
  • The pepper should be coarsely ground so you can taste its texture

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