Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Print version)

A luxurious Roman pasta featuring spaghetti tossed with Pecorino Romano and fresh cracked black pepper for a creamy, savory dish.

# 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

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until 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 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and let simmer.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle Pecorino Romano while tossing and stirring vigorously until cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve silky texture.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with additional Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses only three real ingredients but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The creamy sauce forms almost like magic when the starchy water meets the cheese.
  • You can have dinner on the table faster than ordering takeout.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a tired Tuesday.
02 -
  • If the cheese clumps into a stringy mess, your pan was too hot—always remove it from the heat before adding cheese.
  • Grate the Pecorino yourself right before cooking, as pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that ruin the sauce.
  • The pasta water must be hot when you add it, or the emulsion will never come together properly.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet rather than a saucepan, the wider surface area makes tossing and emulsifying much easier.
  • Save more pasta water than you think you need, it's easier to have extra than to scramble for plain water mid-toss.
  • Crack your black pepper fresh for this dish, pre-ground pepper tastes flat and dusty in comparison.
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