Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Cacio e Pepe is a simple yet delicious Italian pasta dish made with al dente spaghetti tossed in a mixture of pasta cooking water, grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese, and a generous amount of black pepper. Light, yet comforting, and so flavorful, it's easy to make at home for an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti pasta
- ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ cup pecorino Romano cheese freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat then boil the pasta until al dente (about 6 minutes).
- Add the grated parmesan and Romano cheese to a blender and set aside.
- One minute before the pasta is ready, toast the pepper in a large skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds then transfer the drained pasta to the skillet along with 1 ½ cups of the pasta water.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and toss vigorously for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce starts to emulsify and stick to the pasta.
- Turn the blender on and gradually pour in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water until smooth then pour it over the pasta and continue tossing. Toss until the sauce has emulsified once again and completely coated the pasta.
- Serve with freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Always reserve more starchy water than what the recipe calls for just in case you need it. It’s the type of salty and starchy liquid that can’t be replicated unless you boil more pasta.
- I’ve used Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese in this dish. Use freshly grated cheese, not the store-bought powdered stuff or the pre-shredded cheese as this typically contains a waxy coating to extend shelf life which affects the flavor and its ability to melt.
Nutrition
Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 2mg
