Cacio e Pepe

Four ingredients, one emulsion, zero places to hide.

Serves

Active60 min

Total1 hr 30

VesselsLARGE POT + FLOURED BOARD + SKILLET

Units

Hand cut egg pasta under the same disciplined emulsion, for an afternoon well spent.

Adapted from Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (the sauce) by Svitlana · Italian Recipe Book, Tonnarelli Pasta, A Step by Step Guide (fresh tonnarelli) by Svitlana · Italian Recipe Book.

+ fresh egg tonnarelli, hand cut: a silkier bite and more surface to grip the sauce than dried spaghetti
+ 00 flour cut with semolina: rough-surfaced strands with real bite that grip the sauce
+ aged pecorino: nuttier and more concentrated than the classic tier's
+ semolina dusting board: keeps hand cut strands from fusing while they wait
+ a final crack of raw pepper: a brighter top note the toasted pepper alone cannot give

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil

1/2 cup 00 flour

· or all-purpose

3/8 cup semolina flour

2 large eggs

1 pinch salt

knead dough

8 min · smooth, elastic

rest dough

30 min · wrapped, room temp

2 tbsp semolina

· for dusting

roll + cut tonnarelli

thin sheets, cut into narrow ribbons

LARGE POT · BOILING SALTED WATER

boil tonnarelli briefly

90 sec · fresh pasta cooks fast

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

· whole

toast + crack peppercorns

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

1 cup pasta cooking water

· reserved before draining

1 1/2 cups pecorino romano

· aged, finely grated

1/2 tsp black pepper

· cracked fresh, untoasted, to finish

SKILLET · LOW HEAT

toss + serve

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

FLOURED BOARD

SKILLET · LOW HEAT

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Ingredients are rows; steps merge columns left to right.
3/8 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup 00 flour, or all-purpose	knead dough, 8 min · smooth, elastic	rest dough, 30 min · wrapped, room temp	roll + cut tonnarelli, thin sheets, cut into narrow ribbons	large pot · boiling salted water: boil tonnarelli briefly, 90 sec · fresh pasta cooks fast	skillet · low heat: toss + serve, off heat · add water bit by bit, toss until glossy
2 large eggs
1 pinch salt
2 tbsp semolina, for dusting
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, whole	toast + crack peppercorns, 2 min · dry skillet, until fragrant, then crack coarse
1 cup pasta cooking water, reserved before draining
1 1/2 cups pecorino romano, aged, finely grated
1/2 tsp black pepper, cracked fresh, untoasted, to finish