Roman cacio e pepe: pasta in a silky Pecorino and black pepper sauce, made with three ingredients.
The 3 ingredients
- spaghetti or tonnarelli
- finely grated Pecorino Romano
- freshly ground black pepper
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below. Salt, pepper, water and cooking spray are not counted.
How long it takes
Allow 17 min in total: 5 min of preparation, 12 min of cooking. Makes 4 servings.
Tip for success
Grate the Pecorino as finely as possible and keep the pan off the heat, or the cheese will clump.
3-Ingredient Cacio e Pepe
Roman cacio e pepe: pasta in a silky Pecorino and black pepper sauce, made with three ingredients.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the pasta in less water than usual, lightly salted, so the water is extra starchy. Save 1 1/2 cups before draining.
- Toast the pepper in a large dry skillet for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Mix the Pecorino with a few tablespoons of warm (not boiling) pasta water to make a paste.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and toss, then take it off the heat.
- Add the cheese paste and toss hard, adding pasta water until creamy. Serve at once.
Notes
Grate the Pecorino as finely as possible and keep the pan off the heat, or the cheese will clump.
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