Easy Cacio e Pepe (With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)
How to make authentic Cacio e Pepe with just 4 simple ingredients! This classic Roman pasta has a creamy, cheesy black pepper sauce that comes together in 10 minutes.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 211kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound of pasta I use bucatini but you could use spaghetti
- sea salt for the pasta water
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ cups Pecorino Romano finely grated
- 3 Tablespoons butter optional
Instructions
- Boil the pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil (just add 2 teaspoons of salt) water to a boil. Use less water to cook the pasta than you normally would, so the water will be more starchy. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally.
- Grate the cheese: Finely grate the Pecorino Romano and add it to a bowl. Add in a cup of the starchy water from the boiling pasta to the cheese. Stir together to make a paste and set aside.
- Toast the black pepper: In a large pan, add the freshly ground pepper on medium heat. Toast it for just a few seconds (make sure to toss the pepper while it's toasting. It will burn quickly and the fumes are awful).
- Add the butter and some starchy water: If using the butter, now is the time to add it to the pan and melt it combining it with the pepper. Ladle in ½ cup of the pasta water and bring it to a simmer while the pasta is cooking. Turn off the heat.
- Drain the pasta: Cook the pasta until it's just before al dente (about 1-2 minutes before it's ready). Drain the pasta, reserving some more of the pasta water (about ½ cup should be fine).
- Combine with the cheese: Add the Pecorino mixture immediately to the pan with the pasta and use tongs to combine . Stir it continuously until a smooth and creamy cheese sauce is created. Keep stirring until it will turn into a smooth and creamy sauce. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be glossy and not thin. If it's too thick, add another tablespoon of the pasta water and stir.
- Serve pasta: Plate up the pasta as soon as it's ready. Grind on some more black pepper and a dusting of Pecorino, if you like. This pasta is extra delicious served hot. Enjoy immediately!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Only freshly grated cheese will work. Pre-grated cheeses have an anti-clumping coating (which will make it difficult to melt with the pasta water).
- Grate cheese with the smallest grater hole. When you grate the cheese on your grater, use the smallest hole. If you grate it thicker, it will take a bit more to melt.
- Essential to use freshly cracked pepper. The flavor won't be as intense with pre-ground pepper. Pre-ground pepper is oxidized (exposed to oxygen)and doesn't taste as rich as freshly ground black pepper.
- Boil the pasta with less water. Using less water to boil the pasta will result in a more starchy pasta water. The starch in the pasta water is what helps to make your creamy sauce. Reserve more pasta water in case it thickens a bit too much to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal
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