Immediately discover my recipe for preparing easy Cacio e Pepe spaghetti, creamy and irresistible!
Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe? Spaghetti or Tonnarelli? The eternal dilemma of Roman cuisine!
For me, Cacio e Pepe wins hands down: it is a dish that embodies the true essence of tradition, simple and genuine.
Few ingredients, an unmistakable taste, and a creaminess that wins at the first taste. It is the perfect demonstration that Italian cuisine doesn’t need complications to be extraordinary.
The key secret lies in the pecorino cream, the heart of the dish. It must be smooth, silky, enveloping, without lumps and without the dreaded “vinyl glue” effect.
It only takes two ingredients: Pecorino Romano and cooking water, to obtain a perfect sauce, capable of binding to the pasta in a harmonious way.
No cream, no butter, no tricks: just technique and a pinch of attention.
Think it’s difficult? You’re wrong! With my few steps and a few small tricks, you can prepare a Cacio e Pepe as good as those from the taverns of Trastevere.
Get ready to discover the step-by-step recipe and bring a great classic of Italian cuisine to the table!
DISCOVER ALL MY RECIPES AND ALSO TRY:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2Persons
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Lazio
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 338.58 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.84 (g) of which sugars 0.50 (g)
- Proteins 16.18 (g)
- Fat 16.98 (g) of which saturated 9.09 (g)of which unsaturated 0.41 (g)
- Fibers 2.27 (g)
- Sodium 3,103.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for easy Cacio e Pepe spaghetti
- 6.35 oz spaghetti
- 3.53 oz Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Whisk hand whisk
- 1 Pan frying pan
- 1 Pot pasta pot
- 1 Bowl mixing bowl
Steps for easy Cacio e Pepe spaghetti
Let’s start by bringing the water for the pasta to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water and add the spaghetti. We will do everything in this timeframe.
While the spaghetti is cooking, crush the peppercorns with a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a glass. Whole peppercorns are recommended because they release a lot of good aroma.
In a very hot pan, toast half of the pepper and once toasted add a couple of ladles of cooking water.
This way the pan will take on the flavor of the pepper!
Meanwhile, prepare the pecorino cream:
In a bowl, pour a little more than half of the finely grated pecorino and a ladle of cooking water and mix quickly with a whisk until a cream forms (add water as needed).
Drain the pasta very al dente into the pan and let it cook in the water and pepper. Once ready, turn off the heat, pour the pecorino cream over it and toss everything together (make sure the flame is off!).
Plate it and use the remaining pecorino to garnish, as well as the other half of the pepper.
And it’s done! Fragrant and creamy!
Questions and Answers
How do you make lump-free pecorino cream?
The secret to a perfect pecorino cream lies in the temperature and the way you combine the ingredients.
First, finely grate the Pecorino Romano and place it in a bowl. Separately, take some pasta cooking water (it must be hot, but not boiling: around 131-140°F).Can I prepare Cacio e Pepe in advance?
Better not. Cacio e Pepe is best enjoyed just made, when the pecorino cream is still warm and perfectly emulsified. But this recipe is designed to prepare all the dressing in the pasta cooking time, so you can do everything on the spot.
