Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Print Version)

A luxurious Roman pasta featuring spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper combined into a creamy, silky sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti

→ Cheese & Spices

02 - 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra for serving

→ Others

04 - Salt for pasta water

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - In a large skillet over low heat, toast the black pepper for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and let it simmer.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout but tastes like you reserved a table in Trastevere.
  • Only three main ingredients, yet the flavor is so rich and layered you'll wonder where the cream is hiding (spoiler: there is none).
  • The kind of dish that impresses guests but secretly requires almost no skill once you learn the rhythm.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of water and a quick toss in a hot pan.
02 -
  • If the cheese clumps into a greasy mess instead of melting, your pan was too hot, always pull it off the heat before adding Pecorino.
  • Pasta water is not optional, the starch is what makes the sauce creamy and helps the cheese bind instead of separating.
  • Grating the cheese too coarse will leave you with stringy bits that never fully melt, use the finest holes on your grater.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese while the pasta cooks so it's ready to go the second you need it, timing is everything.
  • Use a little less cheese than you think and add more at the table, it's easier to add than to fix an overloaded sauce.
  • If you're nervous about clumping, toss the grated cheese with a tiny pinch of flour before adding it to the pan.
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