cacio e pepe

I’ve made and failed at making cacio e pepe more times than I’d like to admit. I’ve created several dishes worth of watery pasta with clumps of cheese that refused to melt. Even after the first, second, and seventh failed attempt, I kept trying because some years ago I ate a wonderful plate of cacio e pepe and dreamed of recreating it.

However, it was also a matter of pride. How hard could it be to make a dish comprised of cheese, pasta and pepper? Unfortunately, I found out this simple dish can be easy to mess up. Making a silky sauce from dry cheese and water is a skill that needs to be learned. 

After a lot of trial and error I have finally found the recipe that works best for me.

There are a few key differences in how I cook cacio e pepe versus other pasta recipes.

1. I use significantly less water. Instead of heating a large pot of water and straining the pasta in a colander, I heat just enough water to cover the spaghetti in a large skillet. This allows the starch to become more concentrated, which is critical for creating a creamy sauce.
2. I mix the sauce in a cool pan. When I first started making this recipe I would turn off the heat and simply mix all of the ingredients in the pasta pot. However, I’ve learned that the residual heat from the pot is too much and that a two pan method helps prevent the cheese from breaking.
3. I grate the cheese as finely as possible and bring it to room temperature to help it melt easily.

Once you’ve mastered it, cacio e pepe is a dish for life. One that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes with the most basic of ingredients.

Ingredients 
3 tbsp high quality olive oil, divided
1 tsp freshly ground course black pepper, plus more for serving
1/2 lb spaghetti
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving

Instructions

1.  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp black pepper and toast for a minute or two until the pepper and olive oil become fragrant. Set aside.
2. Place just enough water into a large skillet to cover the spaghetti (about 1 inch) and bring to a boil. When the water starts to boil, add salt and pasta to the water. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
3. Transfer 2-3 tbsp of pasta water to the skillet with the olive oil/ pepper mixture. Stir in butter. Using tongs, lift the spaghetti into the oil mixture.
4. Slowly incorporate cheese and remaining tbsp of olive oil in the pasta. Mix until combined and the cheese is completely melted. Add additional tbsp of pasta water to the dish if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
5. Serve immediately with grated cheese and pepper for topping.