Italian · easy
Cacio e Pepe
Roman minimalism at its finest: pasta, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper emulsified into a peppery, creamy sauce with nothing else.
Steps
- 01
Toast cracked black pepper in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a ladle of pasta water to create a peppery base.
~2 min
- 02
Cook pasta in well-salted water until just under al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of starchy cooking water.
~10 min
- 03
In a bowl, mix grated Pecorino with a few tablespoons of hot pasta water to form a smooth paste.
~2 min
- 04
Transfer pasta to the pepper pan with more pasta water. Toss over low heat until the liquid looks slightly creamy.
~2 min
- 05
Remove from heat. Add the cheese paste and toss rapidly, adding pasta water until the sauce is glossy and coats every strand.
~2 min
- 06
Serve immediately with more Pecorino and a final crack of pepper.
~1 min
Tips
- Finely grated cheese melts more evenly—use the small holes of a Microplane or rasp.
- Add cheese off the heat to avoid clumping into a stringy mass.
- Tonnarelli or spaghetti both work; the key is starchy water and vigorous tossing.