CACIO E PEPE PASTA
For all the cheese lovers out there, I have the perfect dish for you: cacio e pepe. Put simply, cacio e pepe translates to “cheese and pepper” and is a classic Roman dish. One of the creamiest pasta dishes, the texture is thanks to the star of the show, the pecorino romano cheese. It’s sharp, salty, and provides a little tang that you can’t get with any other cheese. It also pairs perfectly with the spice from freshly cracked pepper.
Cacio e pepe has become of the most famous pasta dishes in the world, and yet, you only use three main ingredients to make it. So, I traveled to Rome to find out how to make the silkiest and tastiest cacio e pepe, and now I am sharing my perfect recipe with you!
Watch the Cacio e Pepe Pasta video recipe:
How To Make CACIO E PEPE PASTA Like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips
Pecorino Romano Cheese
Cacio e pepe should only be made with pecorino romano cheese. The most traditional pasta makers would look at you like you’re crazy if you used anything else. Pecorino romano has a distinct and complex flavor that only it can bring to this pasta dish, plus it makes such a creamy sauce.
When using pecorino romano for this recipe, remember to grate it as finely as possible and follow the cheese-to-pasta ratio. For example, if you wanted to make this dish for two people, you would use 6 ounces (150g) of pecorino romano with 8 ounces (250g) of pasta.
Why Make Cacio e Pepe with Fresh Pasta
Fresh, homemade pasta is the best pasta for cacio e pepe. You can use pasta made with eggs and flour, water and flour, or semolina flour and eggs. Fresh pasta is perfect for this dish because it soaks up all the creaminess of the cheese and brings a thick and chewy texture to the final plate.
Store-bought also works well if you don’t want to make the pasta yourself. Just make sure you get a long, thick pasta that will absorb the sauce – and not a thin spaghettini!
Save Your Pasta Water
While the three ingredients we need are pasta, cheese, and pepper, there is a fourth secret ingredient: pasta water. We use the starchy water to help thicken our cheese sauce. When your pasta is done cooking, don’t strain through a colander into the sink! We are going to need that water throughout the cooking process.
Be Generous with Black Pepper
There isn’t a measurement on how much black pepper to use in this recipe, but more is definitely better, it just depends on individual tastes. We want to add some spice to pair with the silky and salty pecorino romano. So, when adding fresh cracked pepper to the saucepan, don’t think you’re overdoing it. Cover the saucepan’s cooking surface with ground pepper before toasting it to bring out its incredible flavor. And don’t forget to add a little bit to your grated pecorino romano too.
Don’t Add Too Much Water to the Pecorino Cheese
When we start making our cheese sauce, only add a tiny bit of pasta water to the cheese at first and then stir. If you add an entire cup, the sauce will become too watery, and you won’t get that silky, creamy texture we want. Add small amounts of water gradually, stir, and repeat. Continue this process until you have a thick cream. It won’t take too much water to get here, and we will add more pasta water to help thicken the sauce during cooking so don’t tip it out just yet!
How to Serve Cacio e Pepe Pasta
Once your cacio e pepe is finished, plate your pasta and then take a spoon and drizzle some leftover cheese sauce from the pan over top of it. You can garnish with a little more freshly cracked pepper if you’d like.
Cacio e Pepe Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 Aluminum saucepan
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 fork
- Tongs
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 Mug
Ingredients
- 125 grams Pasta 4oz. Spaghettone quadrato or Spaghettoni Pasta
- 75 grams Pecorino Romano Cheese 3oz
- Black pepper Freshly cracked is best.
- 1 Tbsp. rock salt
- Pasta water as much as required
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil water and once it comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Then add the spaghettone to the pot.
- Cook the pasta two minutes less than the recommended cooking time it says on the package.
- Place the saucepan on your hot plate and turn up to a gentle heat. Cover the cooking surface with freshly cracked black pepper. Be generous with the amount and toast for approx two minutes then switch off the heat.
- In a separate small bowl, add some black pepper to the pecorino romano cheese and mix it together.
- Use a pair of tongs to take the pasta out of the pot and place it into the saucepan. It’s important to save the pasta water and make sure the heat is turned back on.
- Using a mug, scoop one cup of pasta water and add it to the saucepan with the pasta and pepper. Add enough water to cover most of the pasta.
- Cook the pasta for two minutes while continuously stirring. Then scoop another mug of pasta water and put a little bit into the pecorino cheese and mix it. Gradually add more water and mix until the cheese becomes a thick paste.
- Place your pot with pasta water uncovered onto the stove. Next, place your saucepan on top of the pot. The steam from the water will help us cook the pasta.
- Add the pecorino cream to the pasta and mix it around. Add a little bit more pasta water to the pan.
- Begin to toss the pasta in the pan. If it does not move and can’t be tossed, add a little bit more pasta water. Toss it a few times over the steam to help melt the cheese.
- Place the pasta on a plate and top it with leftover cheese sauce and some black pepper.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
Join my private exclusive Italian Tours “Italy Unexplored Tour” and experience the Real Italy like you have never seen before.
The tour is exclusive to only 10 passionate foodies and it’s very unique. (Click here to get more details)
Tempted? Watch the video below and enjoy the sightseeing of the greenest region in Europe
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/vincenzosplate
I was lucky to find the right cheese here, so I tried…and as you said to be on the heavy side on the pepper, I did..so it was ..fierce.
A bit salty too, next time I will maybe mix pecorino with a bit of parmesan.( I hope it’s not a sin in your book..)
Thanks for the recipe, it was worth the time..
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed trying the cacio e pepe recipe. Adjusting the amount of pepper to your taste is a great idea, as it can be quite bold and intense. Mixing pecorino with a bit of Parmesan is absolutely not a sin and can actually add a nice balance to the flavors.
Love this recipe, it has quickly become a staple in our home!
I’m glad that the recipe has become a staple in your home. It’s a simple dish, but it’s so flavorful and satisfying. And it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Excellent technique – much better than the other YT recipes out there. I goofed and salted my water but did not put much water at all – about 5 cups of water. Using it in the cheese and pasta to stir, it became too salty for us – my fault though. In the future, I may just omit salt (or use much less salt and/or more water) and do the recipe again for a perfectly balanced taste. Had this with garlic bread and sausage – was great.
It happens to the best of us – sometimes small adjustments can make a significant difference in the outcome of a dish. Experimenting with the salt content and water amount in your pasta cooking is a great idea. Finding the right balance that suits your taste preferences is part of the culinary journey.
I’m sure your future attempts will be even more enjoyable as you fine-tune the recipe to your liking. Happy cooking and buon appetito! 🧀🍝😊
I tried this recipe and have to say its very nice and works perfect with this techique …. amazing
I’m always looking for new ways to improve my recipes and techniques, so your feedback is very valuable to me. I’m glad that you found the recipe to be “amazing”. That’s the best compliment I can receive!
The taste is phenomenal. I mean come on – how can you go wrong with pecorino Romano and pasta. Mmm! I do wonder what I did wrong though because my cheese became like melted mozzarella instead of making the nice cream. I made a larger quantity so that it could feed family of 4. You make it look so easy! 😂 Thanks for sharing. I’ll keep trying!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the taste of your cacio e pepe, even though the cheese didn’t melt quite as smoothly as you would have liked. It’s not uncommon for the cheese to become stringy and clumpy if it’s overheated, so it’s possible that’s what happened. When making a larger quantity of cacio e pepe, it’s important to be especially careful not to overheat the cheese sauce.