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3-Ingredient Cacio e Pepe

Roman cacio e pepe: pasta in a silky Pecorino and black pepper sauce, made with three ingredients.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli
  • 1 1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta in less water than usual, lightly salted, so the water is extra starchy. Save 1 1/2 cups before draining.
  2. Toast the pepper in a large dry skillet for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup pasta water.
  3. Mix the Pecorino with a few tablespoons of warm (not boiling) pasta water to make a paste.
  4. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss, then take it off the heat.
  5. 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.