I think Cacio e Pepe is one of my favorite Italian dishes. When I need a pasta fix, this is my go-to recipe.
There are countless versions of this Roman classic, but I particularly like my version because it is simple, rich, incredibly creamy, and virtually foolproof.
Cacio e Pepe literally translates as “cheese and pepper” and hails from Rome. In its purest form, it is made with only pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and pasta water. Over the years, I have adapted my version to include Parmesan and a little butter, creating a silky sauce that I find both delicious and more forgiving for the home cook.
Traditionally this dish is served with a long thin pasta, but I have had it with penne and rigatoni and it’s also very good with these pasta shapes as well.
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Ingredients:
1 lb Spaghetti, Rigatoni or Penne.
4 Tbsp Butter, softened
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
3/4 cup Romano Cheese, finely grated
1/2 to 1 Tbsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp Sea Salt. Adjust as desired.
Pasta Water
Preparation:
Remove your butter from the refrigerator and grate your cheese. You do not want the ingredients to be too cold, or they won’t create a smooth sauce.
Start the water for the pasta, salt the water and once you put the pasta in the pot, combine all remaining ingredients into a bowl and create a paste.
About half way through cooking the pasta, take a Pyrex measuring cup and dip out about 3/4 cup of the boiling pasta water and set it aside. You don’t want it to be too hot, or it tends to make the sauce lumpy.
Cook the pasta very al dente, so it needs an additional 2 minutes of cooking. You will finish it in the pan. Drain the pasta, add it back to the original pan on low heat and add the paste and reserved pasta water a bit at a time, stirring until it is all absorbed and the sauce is very creamy.
You don’t want it to be watery, so don’t feel that you need to use all of the water.
Serve immediately with additional cheese as desired.
This article is part of The Pasadena Chef Cooking School. Explore more cooking lessons, techniques, and ingredient guides here. The Pasadena Chef Cooking School
Perfect Cacio e Pepe Recipe: Traditional Italian Comfort Food
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Remove your butter from the refrigerator and grate your cheese. You do not want the ingredients to be too cold, or they will not create a smooth sauce.
- Start the water for the pasta, salt the water and once you put the pasta in the pot, combine all remaining ingredients into a bowl and create a paste.
- About half way through cooking the pasta, take a Pyrex measuring cup and dip out about 3/4 cup of the boiling pasta water and set it aside. You don’t want it to be too hot, or it tends to make the sauce lumpy.
- Cook the pasta very al dente, so it needs an additional 2 minutes of cooking. You will finish it in the pan. Drain the pasta, add it back to the original pan on low heat and add the paste and reserved pasta water a bit at a time, stirring until it is all absorbed and the sauce is very creamy. You don’t want it to be watery, so don’t feel that you need to use all of the water.
- Serve immediately with additional cheese as desired.