No Fail Cacio e Pepe

Published on May 4, 2024 in Italian By Vincenzo Prosperi

How to Make No Fail Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe is a timeless Italian classic born in Rome, and with this no-fail Cacio e Pepe recipe, celebrating two quintessential Italian ingredients becomes even more joyful. By using just Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked pepper tossed through pasta, you will be surprised how mouth-wateringly luscious this dish is

If you have ever been frustrated when making this dish and ended up with a clumpy stringy mess instead of that dreamy creamy sauce, I now have the solution: a no-fail Cacio e Pepe recipe.

I recently came across a no-fail video recipe by Babish and after putting it to the test, you too can learn the ultimate hacks to create a Cacio e Pepe masterpiece that might just change your life (and if not, it will at least change your Cacio e Pepe making skill level!).

Watch the No Fail Cacio e Pepe video recipe:

I Tried Making the FoolProof Cacio e Pepe from Babish (No More Failing)

Vincenzo’s plate tips

Only use finely grated cheese

Go for finely grated cheese to get that smooth blend. Moreover, If you’re not a fan of using all pecorino Romano? No worries! Instead mix it up by adding Parmigiano Reggiano in too – try 50/50 – for a bit of a twist.

Skip the Salt

Forget about adding salt to this dish. The cheese brings all the salty goodness we need, so we’ll just let the pepper do the talking. Trust me, you won’t miss it.

Lumps? No, thank you

We’re aiming for that dreamy, creamy sauce. If things start to look a bit thick, just add a touch more pasta water until you achieve that gorgeous silky texture.

How to Serve

Once your Cacio e Pepe is finished, twirl the pasta onto a large flat dinner plate, and give it a loving drizzle of extra cheesy sauce you may have left in the pan. Then garnish by adding some freshly cracked pepper for the final touch.

No Fail Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe is a simple yet luscious classic pasta dish direct from Rome, known for its seemingly straightforward ingredients — pasta, cheese, and pepper. However, the secret to mastering this drool-worthy meal lies in the technique. Introducing our no-fail Cacio e Pepe recipe, designed to perfect the delicate balance of freshly ground pepper, finely grated cheese, and perfectly al dente pasta. By following specific steps and tossing them with butter and the liquid gold of pasta water, you'll create a creamy, dreamy cheese sauce free from any lumps. Follow this recipe closely to elevate your Cacio e Pepe and recreate this extraordinary dish with guaranteed success.

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Equipment

1 Large fry pan
Blender
Tongs
Mug

Ingredients

150 g Spaghettoni pasta 5.2oz Thick spaghetti
90 g Pecorino Romano 3.2oz. finely grated
Pepper Freshly cracked
50 g Butter 1.7oz

Instructions

To Make The Pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to boil, then add a tablespoon of salt, and allow to dissolve.
Add the spaghettoni pasta to the water and cook according to the packet instructions - it should also mention the time to achieve an al-dente result.
Once the pasta has no more than 2 minutes left, collect some pasta water with a mug and put it to the side.

To Make The Sauce:

Put the pecorino cheese (and Parmigiano, if you’re using it) in a blender. Add a splash of pasta water and start to blend.
Keep adding small amounts of the water until it becomes smooth and creamy. Then, set it aside.
Put the pan on medium-low heat, add butter and let it melt.
Crack a generous amount of fresh pepper into the pan. (The more, the merrier!)
Once the butter has melted, reduce the heat to low to keep the butter nice and warm.
Use tongs to collect the pasta - once cooked to al-dente - and add it straight to the pan. Give it a good mix to make sure every strand is smothered in the creamy butter.
Toss the pasta by flipping the pasta up while inside the pan, or mix it well using the tongs and a wooden spoon
Add a few more splashes of pasta water to ensure the mixture maintains a creamy consistency then turn off the heat completely.
Finally, add the pecorino cream that was set aside and toss the pasta until it’s completely smothered in cream.
Generously season with pepper.