"If done right, Cacio e Pepe is one of the best and easiest dishes you’ll ever make. You’ll only need good pasta, good cheese, lots of black pepper, and concentrated pasta water. You’ll end up with a complex pasta dish that’s creamy, salty, sharp, spicy and irresistible. Cook with me on my YouTube channel, at TastefullyGrace!"
Authentic Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper) Pasta
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- Recipe Card
Prep time: 15mins
Cook time: 15mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 pound thick spaghetti or bucatini
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- More cheese and pepper to garnish
Method
Step 1
To cook pasta: Add no more than 3 1/2 quarts of water to a large pasta pot. You want to boil as little water as possible so it becomes very starchy. Bring water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it to very al dente (use box instructions). Stir the pasta frequently. Taste it often so you don’t end up with mushy pasta!
Step 2
To assemble: When the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the boiling pasta water, and add the water to a large non-stick skillet. Drain pasta.
Step 3
Over medium heat, stir parmigiano and pecorino into the pasta water until cheese just melts, about 1 minute. Add black pepper. Stir. Add drained pasta. Toss and stir vigorously with tongs until pasta is coated and creamy. If you see any lumps from the cheese, increase the heat and keep tossing until lumps disappear.
Step 4
To serve: Plate immediately, topping with a dash more black pepper and a generous sprinkle of parmigiano and pecorino.