How To Make Cacio e Pepe:

First, What Is Cacio e Pepe?

Cacio e pepe hails from Rome and the surrounding region. In local dialect, cacio e pepe translates to “cheese and pepper,” and its ingredients are just that — cheese, black pepper, and pasta. But because the ingredients are so simple, the specifics of each really matter.

The cheese should be freshly-grated Pecorino Romano, a hard sheep’s milk cheese that also originates from the area and, while similar to Parmesan, is saltier and has more funk (in a good way). The black pepper should be freshly cracked and plentiful so you can taste its heat and fruitiness, but not so much that it’s overpowering. In terms of the pasta, dried spaghetti, bucatini, and tonnarelli — a square-shaped spaghetti that also goes by the name of spaghetti alla chitarra — are all traditional choices.

What cacio e pepe should not include is butter, cream, or olive oil. Some will argue Parmesan can be used in place of some or all of the Pecorino, but my personal preference is to use solely Pecorino.

How to Make Cacio e Pepe

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese
  

• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
  

• 1/3 cup ice water
  

• 1 pound dried spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli pasta
  

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Finely grate the cheese. Using a microplane, finely grate 5 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese into a large bowl to get about 2 1/2 cups. Transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl to use as garnish.

3. Grind the black pepper and make a cheese paste. Coarsely grind enough black pepper to get 1 tablespoon and use a fork to mix it into the large bowl of cheese. Drizzle in 1/3 cup ice water and use the fork to whisk it into the cheese mixture, then press the mixture against the side of the bowl, as needed, to form a thick, mostly smooth and lump-free paste; set aside.

4. Cook the pasta. Add 1 pound dried pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions.

5. Toss the pasta with the cheese paste. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and working quickly, immediately add it to the large bowl of cheese paste and use the fork to vigorously stir and toss the pasta with the cheese paste, adding 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the paste until it evenly coats the pasta in a creamy sauce. (You’ll likely use only about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pasta water total and not use all of it.)

6. Serve with additional grated cheese and black pepper. Serve immediately, topping with the reserved grated Pecorino and a few coarse grinds of black pepper.