Cacio e Pepe

★ 4.0 · Medium

Just pasta, cheese, and black pepper, this deceptively simple Roman dish demands precise technique to turn into a creamy, clump-free sauce.

5 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

4 servingsYield

Why You'll Love This

Only 4 ingredients, pure technique-driven flavor
A benchmark dish for mastering emulsified pasta sauces
Ready in 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 lbspaghetti or tonnarelli
2 tspwhole black peppercorns
2 cupsfinely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbspolive oil
1/2 tspkosher salt for pasta water
2 tbspunsalted butter
1 pinchflaky sea salt, for finishing

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

560Calories

24gProtein

22gFat

65gCarbs

3gFiber

720mgSodium

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed and will vary based on the specific products used. It is not a substitute for advice from a nutrition professional.

Method

Bring a large pot (6 to 8 quarts) of water to a boil and salt it lightly (less than usual, since you need very starchy, concentrated pasta water for the sauce).
Toast the whole peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant.
Crush the toasted peppercorns coarsely using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan.
Add the crushed pepper back to the skillet with the olive oil and toast over low heat for 1 minute; set aside off heat.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, stirring occasionally.
Before draining, scoop out and reserve at least 2 cups of the starchy pasta water; you will need more than you think.
In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the Pecorino and Parmesan with about 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water, a little at a time, whisking constantly until it forms a smooth, loose paste with no clumps.
Using tongs, transfer the drained pasta into the skillet with the toasted pepper and the butter, and toss over very low heat for 30 seconds until the butter melts.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pasta to the bowl with the cheese paste, tossing quickly and constantly.
Add more reserved pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time, tossing continuously, until the sauce becomes glossy and coats every strand; work quickly, since the sauce can seize into clumps if the pasta cools too much or the cheese is added to liquid that is too hot.
Divide immediately among 4 warm bowls, finish with an extra crack of black pepper, and a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Tips

Never add cheese directly to boiling-hot pasta water or a hot pan; the proteins will clump into stringy strands instead of melting smoothly, so always temper the cheese first with warm (not scalding) water off heat.
Under-salt the pasta water since the Pecorino is already very salty; oversalting the water leads to an inedibly salty final dish.