Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian main course built around comforting flavour, cultural heritage and the kind of cooking that makes a meal feel memorable.
About this dish
Italian cuisineIngredients
- 8 oz uncooked pasta (try bucatini)
- 2 tbsp butter, diced into 1 tbsp chunks
- 1 tbsp freshly-ground coarse black pepper
- 2 oz finely-grated pecorino-romano cheese
- sea salt (about 2 tbsp)
Description
Cacio e Pepe is more than a main: it is a route into regional Italian kitchens, market produce and a tradition of letting good ingredients do most of the work. The dish is built around olive oil, wheat, tomatoes, herbs, cheese and patient sauces, giving it a flavour that feels both practical and deeply connected to its origin. It works especially well for relaxed dinners, family meals and menus built around simple flavour, and it gives readers a clear way to understand how ingredients, technique and food history meet on the plate.
Instructions
- Fill a large stockpot about halfway full of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Generously season the water with fine salt
- As the pasta water heats, melt the butter in a large saute pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat.
- Add the pepper and let it cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is just barely al dente.
- Use tongs to quickly transfer the pasta directly to the saute pan with the melted butter and pepper.
- Add 1/3 of a cup of the starchy pasta water to the pan and toss the pasta briefly to combine.
- Add in half of the cheese and toss the pasta briefly to coat, then add in the remaining half of the cheese and continue tossing the pasta, adding in a few extra tbsp of starchy pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce, until the cheese is melted and forms a smooth and glossy sauce.
- Serve the pasta immediately, garnish with an extra twist of black pepper.