Cacio e Pepe (pronounced ca-cho ee pepe) is a classic Roman pasta dish, whose name translates to “cheese and pepper”. This simple, yet incredibly flavorful dish, is a staple of Roman cuisine and has gained global popularity for its creamy texture and rich taste.
Traditionally made with long pasta shapes like tonnarelli, bucatini, or spaghetti. Pecorino Romano, an aged sheep’s cheese, is the star ingredient. It provides the dish with its signature salty and tangy flavor, and is crucial for creating the creamy sauce. Freshly ground black pepper is essential. Toasting the pepper before adding it to the dish enhances its aromatic qualities and flavor profile.
The starchy water left over from cooking the pasta is key to creating a smooth, emulsified sauce.
While simple in terms of ingredients, mastering Cacio e Pepe requires some attention to detail to achieve the desired creamy, smooth sauce: Grate the cheese: Finely grate Pecorino Romano cheese. Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in lightly salted water, cooking it until it is just under al dente. Reserve some of the starchy cooking water before draining. Toast the pepper: Toast freshly cracked black pepper in a dry pan until fragrant.
Create the sauce base: Add some of the reserved pasta water to the pan with the toasted pepper and simmer. Emulsify the cheese: Turn off the heat and gradually add the grated cheese, tossing vigorously to melt it and create a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to adjust consistency. Combine and serve: Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss everything together, ensuring the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper.
Tips for success Use high-quality ingredients, especially the Pecorino Romano cheese. Grate the cheese fresh for the best texture and melting consistency. Don’t be afraid to add extra pasta water if the sauce appears too thick or lumpy. Tossing the pasta and sauce vigorously helps in creating a smooth emulsion.
Cacio e Pepe is a testament to the power of simple, high-quality ingredients and careful technique in creating a truly delicious dish.
This is one of my favorite foods to order in Italy. It’s delicious and it’s inexpensive.
“ Turn off the heat and gradually add the grated cheese…”
This is the most difficult step. Too cool and the cheese doesn’t melt properly. A little too warm, and the fat separates from the cheese.
The Brits add the butter to help keep the cheese fats emulsified, and Parmesan melts at a higher temperature. That’s cheating.