Cacio e Pepe
Rome's most elemental pasta — just spaghetti, pecorino, and black pepper transformed into something extraordinary.
Total time
20 min
Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Difficulty
hard
Cuisine
Italian
vegetarian
Ingredients
400gspaghetti or tonnarelli
150gpecorino romano, very finely grated
50gparmesan, very finely grated
2 tspblack peppercorns, coarsely cracked
Instructions
1
Cook pasta in less water than usual to get very starchy water.
2
Toast cracked pepper in a dry wide pan until fragrant.
3
Add a ladle of pasta water to pepper and let it bubble.
4
Drain pasta 2 minutes before al dente, add to pan with pasta water.
5
Remove from heat, add cheeses gradually tossing vigorously with tongs.
6
Add more pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce.
7
Serve immediately with extra pecorino and cracked pepper.
Nutrition (estimated)
Per serving, based on a standard 4-serving portion and standard nutrition references — not a lab or USDA-verified measurement.
Calories
202
Protein
14.3g
Fat
13.4g
Carbs
2.6g
Fiber
0.3g
Sodium
653mg
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