Cacio e Pepe

Four ingredients, one emulsion, zero places to hide.

Serves

Active20 min

Total20 min

VesselsLARGE POT + SKILLET

Units

Just pasta, pecorino, and pepper: no butter to hide behind.

Adapted from Authentic Cacio e Pepe by Silvana Nava · Recipes from Italy.

+ pecorino romano instead of parmesan: sharper, saltier, the traditional Roman bite
+ butter dropped entirely: nothing left to rescue a broken sauce, higher stakes, higher reward
+ whole peppercorns, toasted then cracked: brighter, more aromatic heat than pre-ground pepper
+ water added off heat, bit by bit: full control over the emulsion instead of one quick toss

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil

6 oz spaghetti

· dried

boil spaghetti

8 min · salted water, al dente

1/2 tbsp black peppercorns

· whole

toast + crack peppercorns

2 min · dry skillet, until fragrant, then crack coarse

1 cup pasta cooking water

· reserved before draining

1 cup pecorino romano

· finely grated

SKILLET · LOW HEAT

toss + serve

off heat · add water bit by bit, toss until glossy

SKILLET · LOW HEAT

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Ingredients are rows; steps merge columns left to right.
1 cup pasta cooking water, reserved before draining
6 oz spaghetti, dried	boil spaghetti, 8 min · salted water, al dente	skillet · low heat: toss + serve, off heat · add water bit by bit, toss until glossy
1/2 tbsp black peppercorns, whole	toast + crack peppercorns, 2 min · dry skillet, until fragrant, then crack coarse
1 cup pecorino romano, finely grated