TABELIAAUTHENTIC ITALIAN RECIPE
Authentic Cacio e Pepe
One of Rome’s oldest pasta dishes, made with Pecorino Romano and black pepper. The ingredient list is short, but a stable, creamy emulsion requires precise heat control.
Ingredients (2 servings)
- Tonnarelli or Spaghetti200 g
- Pecorino Romano70 g
- Black pepper, coarsely ground0.5 tsp
Method
Boil the pasta water
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with less salt than usual, about 0.7–0.8%, because Pecorino Romano is salty. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes short of the package time.
Prepare the sauce base
Finely grate the Pecorino Romano. Toast the black pepper in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute. When fragrant, add 100ml pasta water and reduce the heat to low.
Emulsify with the pasta
Transfer the pasta to the frying pan 2 minutes early. Toss over medium heat, adding pasta water gradually, until the released starch begins to thicken the liquid, about 4 minutes.
Add the cheese off the heat
Turn off the heat. Add the grated Pecorino in three additions, tossing quickly and loosening with pasta water as needed. The sauce is ready when smooth and creamy. If it clumps, warm it over the lowest heat for only a few seconds and add a splash of pasta water.
Plate and finish
Serve as soon as the creamy sauce coats every strand. Finish with more freshly ground black pepper.
Bring every dish to the table at its best.
The Tabelia app turns several recipes into one coordinated cooking plan, so every course reaches the table at the right moment.