Italy · Pasta & noodles
Cacio e pepe.
Only Pecorino Romano, black pepper and pasta water. Three ingredients, one technique to master.
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The story of cacio e pepe.
“Cacio” is the old word for cheese in central Italy. Cacio e pepe was the food of the shepherds of Lazio, who moved their flocks for months and carried only ingredients that would keep: dried pasta, aged Pecorino and black pepper.
Today it is one of the four great Roman pastas, together with carbonara, amatriciana and gricia. The challenge is all in the technique: turning cheese and water into a smooth cream.
Origin: Lazio, Italy
Where to find the ingredients in the US.
- Pecorino Romano is easy to find: buy a wedge and grate it very finely.
- Pasta: tonnarelli are traditional; thick spaghetti work well.
- Pepper: toast whole peppercorns and crush them coarsely.
Three steps. That’s it.
What each stage should look like.
Step 1
Toast the pepper.
Toast crushed peppercorns in a dry pan, then add a ladle of pasta water.
Step 2
Make the cream.
Mix the Pecorino with warm, not boiling, pasta water into a smooth paste.
Step 3
Toss off the heat.
Combine pasta, pepper and Pecorino cream, tossing until creamy.
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Recipe
Cacio e pepe.
Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min · Total 20 min
Ingredients
- tonnarelli or thick spaghetti
- Pecorino Romano, very finely grated
- whole black peppercorns
- salt, for the pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, using less water than usual so it becomes starchier, and salt it lightly.
- Crush the peppercorns coarsely and toast them in a large dry pan for 1 minute.
- Cook the pasta. After 5 minutes, add a ladle of its water to the pepper pan.
- In a bowl, mix the Pecorino with a few tablespoons of warm pasta water (not boiling) to make a thick, smooth cream.
- Drain the pasta 1–2 minutes before al dente and finish cooking it in the pepper pan, adding water as needed. Turn off the heat and let it cool for 30 seconds.
- Add the Pecorino cream and toss vigorously, adding a little water, until the sauce is smooth. Serve at once.
Sources consulted: Gambero Rosso. Our own text, with US and metric measurements.
What you’ll need.
Microplane grater.
A very fine grate is essential here.
Large nonstick or steel pan.
For tossing the pasta.
Pepper mill or mortar.
Coarsely crushed pepper gives the right texture.
