Spaghetti a Cacio e Pepe
This is the simplest and one of the tastiest pasta dishes in the Roman repertoire, served at home and at every trattoria offeringcucina romanaorcucina povera(poor folks' cooking).... The trick to making this recipe work is to dilute the cheese and pepper with 1 tablespoon of pasta water per serving, and to amalgamate the ingredients in the pot the pasta water was boiled in, a technique calledmantecare,meaning to mix and meld.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
Step 1
1. Bring at least 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add a tiny pinch of salt. Drop in the pasta, stir and cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, remove the lid and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
Step 2
2. Return the still-dripping pasta to the pot in which it was boiled. Away from any direct source of heat, stir in the reserved pasta water and toss vigorously while sprinkling in about 1 cup of the cheese and the pepper.
Step 3
3. Serve immediately in pasta bowls with the remaining 1 cup Pecorino Romano on the side.
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Reviews (7)
Back to Top很好吃and super easy!
cmj99lp
7/29/2020
I made the mistake of buying and using aweful Pecorino Sardo instead of Pecorino Romano. The substitution ruined the dish, but the proportions and technique of making the pasta were spot on. Avoid Pecorino Sardo at all costs.
greekliberator
12/14/2006
A similar recipe was featured in Gourmet a few years ago, with one significant difference: Whole pepper corns are heated in a pan on the stove until they jumped (2-3 min) (2 teasp. for 1/2 lbs pasta), and then they are crushed with a mortal/pest. or with a rolling pin. This gives the pepper a unique and wonderful flavor. It's a must for this recipe.
Brooke11x
Germany
6/14/2005
Wonderful dish, quick and easy. Though it could use some more flavor. Maybe I didn't use enough cheese? Also, eat it quickly or you'll start to get little clumps of the romano as the heat dissipates. The pecorino romano garlic bread from this site is a perfect side dish, as you can just use the leftover romano from the pasta. Helps make the cheese flavor a little more prominent as well.
Anonymous
Blacksburg, VA
4/10/2005
I have made this pasta many times to RAVE reviews. Use high quality cheese. People always think that I use a 'secret' ingredient - I love to surprise them by giving the recipe!
Anonymous
Seattle, WA
3/7/2005
Simple, great dish and it only requires cheese, pepper, water, and pasta.
al473
NYC, NY
10/1/2004
Very easy and tasty!
Anonymous
East Coast
12/12/2002
