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Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper)

Spaghetti cacio e pepe is a very quick dish to make so it should be prepared on the spot.

Chef Danilo Angè

Difficulty: easy

Method: 10

Cooking: 10

Difficulty: easy

Method: 10

Cooking: 10

Chef Danilo Angè

Difficulty: easy

Method: 10

Cooking: 10

Difficulty: easy

Method: 10

Cooking: 10

Method

  1. 01 / Prepare the pepper

    Toast the peppercorns in a pan for one minute

    Place the peppercorns in a mortar and crush them

  2. 02 / Cook the pasta

    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”

  3. 03 / Prepare the pecorino cream

    Put the pecorino cheese in a bowl

    Add the crushed pepper

    Add the pasta cooking water until obtaining a smooth cream

  4. 04 / Finish cooking the pasta

    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

  5. 05 / Serving

    Arrange the spaghetti on serving plates

    Finish with a sprinkle of pepper if necessary

Wine pairing

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.

Ingredients for 4 people

400 g of spaghetti

200 g of grated pecorino romano cheese

200 ml of pasta cooking water

Black peppercorns

Salt

Wine pairing

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.

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