Cook and Scale

Cacio e Pepe

2 servings · 17 min total

Three ingredients, one legendary Roman plate: spaghetti bound in a glossy pecorino-style cheese sauce with toasted cracked pepper. Technique is everything.

Ingredients

200 g spaghetti
80 g Parmesan, finely grated
2 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
salt to taste

Contains: Gluten, Milk

Allergen info is best-effort — please verify yourself.

Method

1.
Toast the black pepper — Toast the coarsely ground black pepper in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
2.
Cook pasta in scant water — Cook the spaghetti in a small amount of salted boiling water for 9 minutes so the water stays very starchy.
3.
Make the parmesan paste — In a bowl, mix the grated Parmesan with a few spoons of hot pasta water to make a smooth paste.
4.
Combine into a creamy sauce — Drain the spaghetti and toss with the toasted pepper, then stir through the cheese paste off the heat, loosening with pasta water into a creamy sauce. Serve immediately.