Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe is one of the most popular and notorious Italian pastas for a reason! When I was visiting Italy this past year, I saw cacio e pepe EVERYWHERE in Rome! It is one of those pasta dishes that although it is very simple, is extremely delicious!

What is Cacio e Pepe:

Cacio e pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that originated in Rome. The name translates to “cheese and pepper” in English, which reflects the simple yet delicious ingredients used in the preparation of the dish.

The traditional cacio e pepe recipe typically consists of three main ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. The pasta is cooked until al dente, and then it is tossed with a sauce made by combining grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper. The heat from the pasta helps melt the cheese, creating a creamy and flavorful sauce. The dish is known for its rich, savory, and slightly spicy flavor.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Pasta of choice – with this dish you can use any pasta you like. I personally used my homemade gluten free pasta. You can use homemade or dried packaged pasta. Note that cooking times will differ for both. For homemade you only need to cook the pasta for 1 minute. For packaged you are going to cook it for half the amount of time the box says before adding it to the pepper pan.
• Fresh cracked pepper – this is essential to the dish! It is best if you grind or crack the pepper fresh so it is more aromatic and flavorful. If you don’t have a way to do this, pre ground pepper will also work, just note it won’t be as flavorful.
• Pecorino cheese – a classic Roman cheese, this is what will make your sauce creamy and delicious. It is best if you buy a large chunk of this cheese and freshly grate it for the best flavor. You can always add other cheeses to this dish, however I would not omit this cheese or this recipe just won’t be the same!

Tips & Tricks to Making Cacio e Pepe:

1. Cook your pasta in a shallow pan of water! You are going to use the pasta water to form the sauce, so you want it to be very starchy. With less water, there will be more starch in the water and much more concentrated.
2. Freshly grind your pepper – this will give it a better flavor!
3. Toast the pepper in a large pan for 1 minute while the pasta is cooking. Once it is fragrant, add a ladle of water so it doesn’t burn.
4. Cook the pasta in the water for half the time the box calls for. Transfer the pasta once it is halfway cooked to the pepper pan to finish cooking. Add a few more ladles of water so it will cook, but also the water will reduce and turn into a sauce.
5. Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat and let it cool for 30 seconds.
6. Add a ladle of the hot pasta water to the pecorino cheese and form a paste. Add this paste into the pasta pan once the pasta has cooled for 30 seconds. Mix it in to emulsify and make it creamy! If you add the cheese when the pasta is still too hot the sauce will break. Also if you add the cheese directly into the pasta without first adding the water to the cheese, it has a higher chance of breaking and not becoming creamy.