INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

Cacio e pepe has gone from being a local Roman dish to a global obsession. Below, our tried and true recipe for the iconic dish; don’t be discouraged if it takes a few times to master!

300 g spaghetti (or tonnarelli, rigatoni, mezze maniche) - 100 g Pecorino Romano, grated - 1 – 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper - Salt

PREPARATION

1. Bring a pot of lightly-salted water to a boil–the key is to salt the water just enough to compliment but not overpower the salt from the Pecorino. Add the pasta and boil until al dente.
2. About two minutes before the pasta is al dente, heat a saucepan over low-to-medium heat. Add the ground pepper and lightly toast. Then, add in the grated Pecorino, reserving about one-third. Stir together while adding a small ladle of pasta water. Turn the heat to low. When the pasta is done, shut the burner off. Don’t drain the pasta: instead, lift directly out of the pot into the saucepan using either tongs or a slotted spoon, depending on the shape; the residual water on the pasta will help emulsify and create the sauce.
3. Toss pasta vigorously with the sauce, adding in the rest of the reserved Pecorino. You can add more pasta water if it looks dry, but only a tiny bit at a time!
4. Once properly coated, shut the burner off. Serve immediately with more cracked pepper and freshly grated Pecorino.

Thanks to Italy Segreta for this recipe.

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