Italian · Free recipe
Cacio e Pepe
Just pecorino, black pepper and pasta water, yet it becomes a creamy, peppery sauce when handled right. Toasting cracked pepper in the pan and blending the cheese into a paste before it hits the noodles prevents the dreaded clumps and keeps the sauce smooth.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Cook the pasta in a wide pan with only about 2 inches of lightly salted water so the water becomes extra starchy; stir often and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente.
-
While it cooks, toast the cracked pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until aromatic, then add the olive oil and butter and a ladle of pasta water and let it bubble.
-
Put the pecorino in a bowl and whisk in a few tablespoons of warm, not boiling, pasta water to make a thick, smooth paste.
-
Move the pasta into the skillet with tongs and toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid reduces and the pasta is al dente.
-
Take the skillet off the heat, wait 30 seconds, then add the cheese paste and toss hard, adding splashes of pasta water until the sauce is creamy and coats every strand.
-
Serve immediately on warm plates with a last pinch of pepper and pecorino.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Cheese seizes above about 150F, so always add it off the burner; if it does clump, add a spoonful of cool water and keep tossing to bring it back together.
