Cacio e Pepe (Pecorino Cheese and Black Pepper Pasta)

Quick answer

Total time: 20 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

This Roman classic reaches remarkable depth from just two core ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.

Technique determines the outcome. Finely grated cheese must be stirred off the heat into starchy pasta water to form a glossy, clump-free sauce that clings evenly to every strand. Toasting whole peppercorns in a dry pan before coarsely crushing them releases volatile oils that give the dish its distinctive sharp, almost floral sting. The cheese's salty, tangy intensity needs no additional seasoning. Tonnarelli or spaghetti, with their round cross-sections, hold the sauce most effectively, ensuring each forkful carries a full charge of peppery, cheesy richness. Timing is decisive: even a few extra seconds of heat can fracture the smooth sauce into grainy, broken clumps, so the pasta must come off the heat at exactly the right moment.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Spaghetti (or tonnarelli)200 gg

Pecorino Romano80 gg

Parmigiano Reggiano30 gg

Black pepper2 tsptsp

Salt10 gg

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Finely grate 80g Pecorino Romano and 30g Parmigiano Reggiano before cooking.

Keep the cheese fluffy and loose, because coarse shreds melt unevenly and can turn the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
2

Finish

Toast 2 tsp black pepper in a dry pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Let it cool briefly, then crush it coarsely so the finished pasta has visible pepper flecks and texture.
3

Finish

Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil and add 10g salt.

Cook 200g spaghetti or tonnarelli for 2 minutes less than the package time, leaving the center slightly firm for the pan finish.
4

Finish

Before draining, reserve 100 to 150ml of the cloudy, starchy pasta water.

Drain the pasta without rinsing, because the surface starch helps the cheese sauce cling evenly to each strand.
5

Finish

Return the crushed pepper to the pan with 50ml reserved pasta water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Add the pasta and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until it absorbs the peppery liquid.
6

Season

Turn off the heat before adding the cheese.

Add it in several small handfuls while tossing quickly, loosening with the remaining pasta water as needed, until the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta without clumps.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper emulsify into a silky cacio e pepe sauce without cream.
Finish cue: Add it in several small handfuls while tossing quickly, loosening with the remaining pasta water as needed, until the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta without clumps.