Cacio e pepe
Cacio e pepe
Pecorino, pepper and pasta water — a Roman emulsion that looks like nothing and fails if you rush it.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Cacio e pepe.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Cacio e pepe is three ingredients and a technique. You toast pepper, finish pasta in a little water, and toss in finely grated pecorino off the heat so it melts into a sauce instead of clumping into concrete. Cream is not invited. If it seizes, you added cheese to a pan that was still screaming.
Ingredients
- Pasta200 g
- Pecorino Romano, very finely grated60 g
- Black pepper7.4 ml
- Salt, for the water, go light — the cheese is salty4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Boil pasta in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Scoop out a mug of cloudy water.
10 minStep 2
Toast cracked pepper in a wide pan 30 seconds. Add a ladle of pasta water.
1 minStep 3
Add pasta. Toss. Take off the heat. Rain in pecorino a handful at a time, tossing and adding water until it turns glossy, not grainy.
2 minTip: If it clumps, more hot water and motion, not more heat.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Pecorino → Mostly pecorino plus a little parmigiano
Milder. Still a Roman plate if pecorino leads.
Tips
- Grate the cheese like dust. Chunks will not melt.
- A little leftover cooking water in a jug is cheaper than panic.
History & culture
Lazio trattorie and the pasta people order to test a kitchen. Tonnarelli or spaghetti. Pecorino Romano should taste like sheep.
Shepherd food that restaurants made precious. The modern creamy-looking plate is still just cheese, pepper and starch.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Blackcat via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spaghetto%20cacio%20e%20pepe%20Roma%202018.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Cacio e pepe take?
20 min all in — 5 min prep, 15 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp (for the water, go light — the cheese is salty).
What can I use instead?
Pecorino → Mostly pecorino plus a little parmigiano. Milder. Still a Roman plate if pecorino leads.
Any tips from this recipe?
Grate the cheese like dust. Chunks will not melt. A little leftover cooking water in a jug is cheaper than panic.
Can I prepare this ahead?
A little leftover cooking water in a jug is cheaper than panic.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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