Classic Roman Cacio e Pepe (Printable)

Roman pasta perfection with Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and perfectly cooked spaghetti in creamy sauce.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli

→ Cheese

02 - 4.2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

→ Seasonings

03 - 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, freshly cracked
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Optional

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for extra creaminess

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then cook the spaghetti until just al dente, approximately 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, toast the freshly cracked black pepper in a large, dry skillet over medium heat for approximately 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add 1 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper. Reduce heat to low.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, allowing the pasta to absorb the peppery water.
05 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, if the sauce becomes too thick.
06 - If desired, add butter and toss until melted and emulsified.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • You get restaurant quality pasta using only three main ingredients you can keep in your pantry.
  • The creamy sauce forms without any cream, just starchy pasta water and good cheese working together like magic.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Every bite has that perfect pepper kick that wakes up your taste buds without overwhelming them.
02 -
  • The skillet must be off the heat when you add the cheese or it will turn into a clumpy, greasy mess instead of a silky sauce.
  • Toss constantly and vigorously, almost aggressively, because the motion is what emulsifies the cheese and water into that glossy coating.
  • If your sauce breaks and looks oily, add a splash of cold water and toss hard to bring it back together.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's wide enough to toss the pasta freely because cramped pasta doesn't coat evenly.
  • Crack your peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or put them in a sealed bag and crush them with a rolling pin for the best texture and aroma.
  • Save extra pasta water even if you think you have enough, because you can always add more but you can't take it back out.
Go back