This simple but delicious pasta dish hails from Rome and is made with just a few ingredients – pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. The result is a creamy and flavorful dish that’s perfect for any occasion.
Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of spaghetti/Bucatini/Linguine
- 1 cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, grate the Pecorino Romano cheese and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the grated cheese and black pepper.
- When the spaghetti is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the rest.
- Add the reserved pasta water to a large skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss it in the pasta water for 1-2 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the pasta is coated in a starchy sauce.
- Add the cheese and pepper mixture to the skillet and toss it with the spaghetti until the cheese has melted and a creamy sauce has formed.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more of the reserved pasta water to the skillet.
- Season the pasta with salt to taste.
- Serve the Cacio e Pepe hot, garnished with extra black pepper and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
