Cacio e Pepe

Name: Cacio e Pepe
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 200 g spaghetti or tonnarelli; 100 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated; 2 tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked; 1 tsp salt, for the pasta water

Pasta, cheese, pepper. Nothing else.

Total: 20 min
Active: 20 min
Serves: 2

Servings2

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Substitutions, swaps, equipment, scaling — the recipe stays right here.

Ingredients

7 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli
3 ½ oz Pecorino Romano, finely grated
2 tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked
1 tsp salt, for the pasta water

Steps

Boil pasta in barely-salted water until 1 minute short of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of water.
Toast the pepper in a dry skillet 30 seconds, then add 1/2 cup pasta water and swirl.
Mix the pecorino with 3 tbsp pasta water into a smooth paste.
Add pasta to the skillet, kill the heat, stir in the cheese paste, tossing hard until glossy. Loosen with more water as needed.

Off the heat is non-negotiable — hot pan = clumps.