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Pasta with Cheese and Pepper (Cacio e Pepe)

A simple yet flavorful pasta dish made with cheese, pepper, and starchy pasta water, creating a silky and satisfying meal in about 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 700
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta Ingredients
  • 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini or tonnarelli
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or 3/4 cup for a milder flavor
  • 2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper adjust to taste
  • 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil optional for silkiness
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for pasta water
  • 1/2-3/4 cup reserved starchy pasta water for emulsifying the sauce

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously until it tastes like the sea.
  2. Grate the cheese and crack the pepper.
Cooking Pasta
  1. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. While the pasta cooks, toast the cracked pepper in a sauté pan over medium heat for 30–60 seconds, then add 2-3 tbsp of pasta water to bloom the pepper oils.
  3. Turn the heat to low, add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and freshly grated Pecorino to the pan, stirring vigorously until you have a creamy emulsion. If using butter, add it now.
  4. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce coats the pasta.
Serving
  1. Plate immediately with additional Pecorino and cracked pepper on top.

Notes

For a sharper bite, substitute half the Pecorino with freshly grated Parmesan. For a vegan option, use nutritional yeast instead. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.