Mediterranean Cuisine Dinner Lunch

Cacio e Pepe

Name: Cacio e Pepe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 400 g Spaghetti; 180 g Pecorino Romano Cheese; 2 tbsp Black Peppercorn; 1 tbsp Salt; 2500 ml Water

🔪 PREP TIME 10 mins

🔥 COOK TIME 15 mins

🍽️ SERVINGS 4 Servings

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Nutritional Breakdown

Per Serving

Calories 1007 kcal

Protein 37.3 g

Carbs 152 g

Fat 30.9 g

🥗 Ingredients & Serving Scaler

Adjust servings to automatically re-calculate quantities for your family.

4 Servings

Spaghetti

400 g
Pecorino Romano Cheese

180 g
Black Peppercorn

2 tbsp
Salt

1 tbsp
Water

2500 ml

💡 Short Description

Overview and quick notes for Cacio e Pepe

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Timeless Roman pasta masterclass crafted with bronze-cut tonnarelli spaghetti, freshly toasted cracked black peppercorns, and finely microplaned Pecorino Romano cheese emulsified with starchy pasta cooking water into an ultra-creamy, glossy sauce without any cream or butter. 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season lightly with salt (less than usual, as Pecorino is naturally salty). 2. Drop tonnarelli or spaghetti into boiling water and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. 3. In a wide stainless steel skillet or pan, toast freshly coarse-ground black pepper over medium heat until fragrant and slightly smoking. 4. Ladle half a cup of starchy pasta water into the skillet with the toasted pepper, creating a bubbling pepper broth. 5. In a separate bowl, whisk finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese with a ladle of warm pasta water until a thick, smooth cheese paste forms. 6. Transfer al dente pasta directly into the pepper pan, tossing vigorously over low heat to coat strands. 7. Remove pan from heat, wait 20 seconds, then vigorously stir in the Pecorino cream paste until it emulsifies into a silky, velvety coating. 8. Plate immediately with an extra dusting of Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper.

👨‍🍳 Cooking Instructions

Full recipe instructions for preparing Cacio e Pepe

🔥 Prep

Measure out 2500 ml of water and set aside.
Measure 1 tbsp of salt.
Measure 400 g of spaghetti.
Coarsely grind 2 tbsp of black peppercorns.
Finely microplane 180 g of Pecorino Romano cheese.

🔥 Cook

1. Bring 2500 ml of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Add 1 tbsp of salt to the boiling water.
3. Drop 400 g of spaghetti into the pot and cook for 8–10 minutes until it is 2 minutes shy of al dente.
4. While the pasta cooks, heat a wide stainless‑steel skillet over medium heat and toast 2 tbsp of freshly coarsely‑ground black pepper until fragrant and slightly smoking, about 1 minute.
5. Ladle about ½ cup (≈120 ml) of the starchy pasta water into the skillet with the toasted pepper, creating a bubbling pepper broth.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk 180 g of finely microplaned Pecorino Romano cheese with a ladle of warm pasta water (≈60 ml) until a thick, smooth cheese paste forms, about 30 seconds.
7. Transfer the drained spaghetti (reserving cooking water) directly into the pepper skillet and toss vigorously over low heat to coat the strands, about 1 minute.
8. Remove the skillet from the heat, wait 20 seconds, then stir in the Pecorino cheese paste, mixing vigorously until it emulsifies into a silky, velvety sauce that coats the pasta.
9. Plate immediately, dusting with extra Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper.

🔥 Serve

Plate the pasta in warm bowls, adding an extra dusting of Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve immediately while the sauce is silky and glossy.
Optional: accompany with a simple green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette or a slice of crusty bread.