Classic Roman Cacio e Pepe (Printable)

Roman pasta celebrating bold Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper with minimal ingredients.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli

→ Cheese

02 - 4.2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

→ Seasonings

03 - 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, freshly cracked
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Optional

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for extra creaminess

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then cook the spaghetti until just al dente, approximately 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, toast the freshly cracked black pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add 1 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper. Reduce heat to low.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, allowing the pasta to absorb some peppery water.
05 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
06 - If desired, add butter and toss until melted and emulsified.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and more cracked black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours when you only spent twenty minutes
  • The creamy sauce happens without cream, just starchy water and good cheese
  • You'll impress anyone who thinks pasta needs a complicated sauce
02 -
  • If the cheese clumps into strings instead of melting, your pan was too hot, always pull it off the burner before adding Pecorino
  • The pasta water is not optional, it's the emulsifier that makes the sauce cling and shine
  • Grate the cheese fine, big shreds won't dissolve and you'll end up with clumps instead of cream
03 -
  • Use a wooden spoon or tongs to toss, metal can scratch your pan and won't grip the pasta as well
  • If you're nervous about clumping, temper the cheese first by mixing it with a few spoonfuls of pasta water in a bowl before adding it to the skillet
  • Toast extra pepper and keep it in a jar, it's perfect for finishing eggs or roasted vegetables
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