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Plate of Cacio e Pepe pasta garnished with black pepper and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Cacio e Pepe

A classic Roman pasta dish featuring a creamy sauce made from finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, all brought together with starchy pasta water.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Roman
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 200 grams Spaghetti or tonnarelli if you can find it
  • 100 grams Pecorino Romano, finely grated Parmesan can work but Pecorino is the classic
  • 2 tablespoons Freshly cracked black pepper Use fresh cracked for best flavor
  • to taste grams Salt for the pasta water

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it. Drop in your spaghetti.
Toasting Pepper
  1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, add a generous amount of black pepper and toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
Combining Sauce
  1. Save about 1 to 1.5 cups of pasta water right before the pasta is done.
  2. When the spaghetti is nearly cooked, move it into the skillet with the toasted pepper, adding a splash of pasta water.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the pasta water with the grated Pecorino Romano to create a thick paste, then add this paste to the pasta, tossing vigorously.
  4. Add additional warm pasta water as needed to make the sauce creamy and coat the noodles.
Final Adjustments
  1. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with more pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

To avoid clumps, use finely grated cheese and keep the heat low when incorporating it. Make sure to use warm pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Toss with tongs instead of stirring to achieve the best texture.