Cacio e Pepe

Tags: #italian #pasta #roman Serving: 2 servings Total time: 20 minutes

A Roman three-ingredient classic that creates a silky emulsion of Pecorino Romano and black pepper around toothsome pasta.

Ingredients

• 200 g dried tonnarelli or spaghetti
• 90 g Pecorino Romano DOP, very finely grated (80 g for emulsion, 10 g for finishing)
• 5 g whole black peppercorns
• 1500 ml water
• 8 g fine sea salt

Steps

1. Bring 1500 ml water to a rolling boil in a medium pot.
2. Toast 5 g black peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
3. Grind the toasted peppercorns to a medium-coarse texture.
4. Divide the ground pepper into 4.5 g for sauce and 0.5 g for finishing.
5. Add 8 g fine sea salt to the boiling water.
6. Add 200 g pasta to the boiling water.
7. Stir the pasta for 10 seconds to prevent sticking.
8. Cook the pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente.
9. Ladle 300 ml pasta cooking water into a heatproof measuring cup.
10. Add 4.5 g ground pepper to the empty skillet.
11. Add 150 ml reserved pasta water to the skillet.
12. Simmer the pepper water over low heat for 1 minute.
13. Turn off the heat under the skillet.
14. Let the pepper water stand for 30 seconds.
15. Add 80 g grated Pecorino to a large mixing bowl.
16. Add 80 ml warm pepper water to the bowl with the cheese.
17. Whisk the mixture vigorously to form a smooth paste.
18. Transfer the pasta to the skillet with pepper water using tongs.
19. Cook the pasta in the pepper water over medium heat for 1 minute.
20. Turn off the heat under the skillet.
21. Add the pasta to the bowl with the cheese paste.
22. Add 40 ml hot pasta water to the bowl.
23. Toss the pasta vigorously with tongs for 30–60 seconds.
24. Add the remaining 10 g grated Pecorino to the bowl.
25. Toss the pasta again until the sauce is glossy and clings.
26. Add more hot pasta water in 15 ml increments to adjust consistency.
27. Season the pasta with the reserved 0.5 g ground pepper.
28. Plate the pasta in warm bowls.
29. Serve immediately.

Notes

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