A practical Italian Gourmet recipe for cacio e pepe, with clear timings, ingredient notes and a method designed for a home kitchen.
About this recipe
This is the kind of Italian cooking we want this collection to champion: recognisable ingredients, a method that explains the important moments, and no unnecessary complication. Read the method once before starting, prepare the ingredients, and use the visual cues as well as the clock.
Cacio e Pepe
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 15 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 320g spaghetti or tonnarelli
- 140g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Fine salt
Method
- Cook the pasta in lightly salted water until just short of al dente.
- Toast the black pepper in a wide dry pan for about 30 seconds, then add a ladle of pasta water.
- Mix the Pecorino with a little warm pasta water in a bowl to make a thick, smooth paste.
- Transfer the pasta to the pepper pan and finish cooking, adding pasta water as needed.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add the Pecorino paste gradually, tossing vigorously until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the pasta.
- Serve immediately with extra pepper.
Italian Gourmet note
Keep the pan off direct heat when adding the cheese to reduce the chance of clumping.
Tips for the best result
Use the best core ingredients you can reasonably find, taste as you go and remember that pasta water, seasoning and heat control are often as important as an extra ingredient. Where a traditional ingredient is difficult to source in the UK, we will explain sensible substitutions rather than pretending the recipe is impossible.