Cacio e
Pepe
Pecorino & black pepper pasta
Spaghetti coated in a glossy sauce of Pecorino Romano, black pepper and starchy pasta water, with a sharp, warming finish.
Pecorino, pepper & glossy strandsCheese, pepper,
a Roman favorite.
Cacio e pepe means cheese and pepper, and both are easy to taste in this Roman pasta. Finely grated Pecorino Romano gives the sauce its salty bite; crushed black pepper brings warmth. Pasta water loosens the cheese into a coating that clings to the strands.
Look for it among the primi in Rome and elsewhere in Lazio. Spaghetti and fresh tonnarelli are common choices. The sauce should stay fluid enough to move with the pasta, so this is a dish to eat as soon as it reaches the table.
Explore by food: Pasta
Let’s make cacio e pepe.
A small amount of starchy water and gentle heat bring the cheese sauce together.
Four first-course portions.
What you’ll need
- 320 gspaghetti
- 160 gPecorino Romano, finely grated
- 2 tspblack peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 2 lwater, for cooking the pasta
- 1 tspfine salt, for the pasta water
A hot pan can turn the cheese grainy. Keep the heat off once the cheese goes in; the sauce will tighten as it stands.
How to make it
- 01
Cook the spaghetti
Bring the 2 l water to a boil, add the salt and cook the spaghetti until just short of al dente, following its packet timing. Stir often in the relatively small volume of water.
- 02
Wake up the pepper
Toast the crushed pepper in a wide dry skillet over low heat for about 1 minute. Add 100 ml pasta water and turn off the heat. Reserve another 400 ml cooking water before draining.
- 03
Make a cheese paste
Let 100 ml of the reserved water cool until warm rather than steaming. Stir it into the Pecorino a little at a time to form a thick, smooth paste.
- 04
Coat off the heat
Toss the spaghetti in the pepper pan. If it is still sizzling, wait briefly. Add the cheese paste off the heat, tossing continuously and adding warm reserved water a spoonful at a time until glossy. Serve immediately.
While you’re in Lazio…
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PrimiAgnolotti del Plin
Small pinched pasta parcels hold a fine filling of braised veal, pork and spinach, dressed simply with butter and sage.
PrimiBigoli in Salsa
Thick strands of pasta catch a soft onion and anchovy sauce, with sweetness from the onions balancing the fish’s saltiness.