Spaghetti cacio e pepe is a very quick dish to make so it should be prepared on the spot.
Difficulty: easy
Method: 10
Cooking: 10
Difficulty: easy
Method: 10
Cooking: 10
Toast the peppercorns in a pan for one minute
Place the peppercorns in a mortar and crush them
Drop the spaghetti into lightly salted boiling water
Stir immediately
Let them cook with the water still boiling, stirring occasionally
(in the meantime, prepare the pecorino cream)
Check while cooking, as the spaghetti should be “al dente”
Put the pecorino cheese in a bowl
Add the crushed pepper
Add the pasta cooking water until obtaining a smooth cream
Drain the pasta, do not forget to cook it “al dente”
Put it in the bowl with the cream cheese
Stir the pasta well, turning it carefully
Add a little cooking water if necessary
Arrange the spaghetti on serving plates
Finish with a sprinkle of pepper if necessary
Pair spaghetti cacio e pepe with a smooth but intense white wine from the Lazio region, like a Frascati Superiore or a full-bodied white wine from Alto Adige like a Chardonnay.
If you prefer red wines, choose a light one like a Rosso di Montalcino or a Morellino di Scansano.
Spaghetti cacio e pepe is a very quick dish to make so it should be prepared on the spot.
Do not change the cheese: pecorino romano is essential for this recipe.
Do not add too much salt to the pasta cooking water: the cheese is very savoury, and the risk would be having a too salty pasta.
Do not let the pasta overcook but drain it when it is “al dente“.
The secret of a good cacio e pepe is its creaminess: do not throw away the pasta water, as you will need it to make the pecorino cream.
Do not use ground pepper, but peppercorns, toasting them as indicated for a more balanced taste.
It is better to calculate the right quantities to use the cacio e pepe pasta as soon as it is made, but if some is leftover, put it in the fridge and use it the day after to make a frittata: add a beaten egg to each portion and then mix it with the pasta. Place in a hot frying pan until a golden crust is formed on the bottom; flip the frittata over and remove from the heat when the other side also has its crust.
The Roman tradition is to use long pasta, like spaghetti, bucatini or tonnarelli.
The cheese used for this recipe is pecorino romano, there is no alternative here!
Use black peppercorns and toast them: the taste will be enhanced to the maximum.
400 g of spaghetti
200 g of grated pecorino romano cheese
200 ml of pasta cooking water
Black peppercorns
Salt
Pair spaghetti cacio e pepe with a smooth but intense white wine from the Lazio region, like a Frascati Superiore or a full-bodied white wine from Alto Adige like a Chardonnay.
If you prefer red wines, choose a light one like a Rosso di Montalcino or a Morellino di Scansano.
Lazio tradition calls for Pecorino Romano, whereas our version includes the addition of Parmigiano Reggiano, which achieves a slightly more delicate effect.
