# Cacio e Pepe

Spaghetti coated in a glossy, peppery Pecorino sauce — three ingredients, one pan, zero shortcuts.

_Dinner · Italian_

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Yields: 2 servings

## Ingredients

- 7 oz spaghetti (or tonnarelli)
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns (coarsely cracked)
- ¾ cups Pecorino Romano (finely grated, plus more to serve)
- ¼ cups Parmigiano-Reggiano (finely grated)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for pasta water)

## Instructions

1. Crack the 2 tsp black peppercorns coarsely using a mortar and pestle or the flat of a heavy skillet — you want uneven shards, not a fine powder.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the 1 tsp kosher salt — use less than you normally would; the Pecorino is very salty. Add the 7 oz spaghetti and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente.
3. While the pasta cooks, toast the cracked peppercorns in a large, dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
4. Combine the ¾ cup Pecorino Romano and ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a small bowl. Add 3–4 tbsp of the hot pasta water and stir into a smooth, thick paste — it should look like loose ricotta.
5. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Transfer the spaghetti directly into the skillet with the toasted pepper using tongs, bringing a little water with it.
6. Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Add 0.5 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss the spaghetti constantly for 1–2 minutes until the water reduces by half and the pasta is al dente.
7. Remove the skillet from heat entirely — this is critical. Wait 15 seconds, then pour the cheese paste over the spaghetti.
8. Toss vigorously and continuously, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to every strand with no clumps. This takes about 1–2 minutes of active tossing.
9. Divide between two warm bowls. Finish with an extra grating of Pecorino Romano and a few more cracks of black pepper. Serve immediately.

## Tip

> The cheese paste must hit a pan that is off the heat — residual heat above ~80 °C will break the emulsion and give you clumpy strings instead of a silky sauce. Pull the pan, wait a beat, then add the cheese.

Tags: weeknight, vegetarian, comfort-food, 30-minute, one-pan

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/cacio-e-pepe