Italian
Silky Cacio e Pepe with Toasted Black Pepper
This Roman-style cacio e pepe leans on aggressively starchy pasta water, finely grated cheese, and a big bloom of black pepper for a glossy, restaurant-style finish. Using tonnarelli or a thick spaghetti helps the sauce cling and keeps the dish feeling distinct from a generic weeknight buttered noodle.
Gluten-FreeHigh CarbQuick Weeknight
At a Glance
- Time
- 25 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Cost
- Low
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, but salt it a little lighter than usual so the cheese does not push the finished sauce over the edge. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente; reserve at least 2 cups of the cloudy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, toast the cracked pepper in a large skillet over medium heat for 30 to 60 seconds until intensely fragrant. Add 3/4 cup pasta water and let it simmer for 1 minute so the pepper infuses the liquid.
- Whisk the Pecorino and Grana together in a warm mixing bowl. Drizzle in 1/2 cup hot pasta water a little at a time, whisking constantly, until you have a thick, smooth cheese paste with no dry pockets.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss over low heat for 1 minute so the noodles finish cooking and shed more starch. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese paste, and toss vigorously, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water until a glossy sauce coats every strand.
- Twirl into warm bowls and shower with more Pecorino and black pepper. Serve immediately while the sauce is silky and fluid, not tight or clumpy.
Adaptations
Hard to Adapt- Gluten-Free: Easy Swap Easy swap; see the adaptation note below.
- Dairy-Free: Not a Good Fit Not a clean dairy-free fit without changing the dish substantially.
- Vegetarian: Vegetarian Vegetarian as written.
How to adapt: Use a sturdy gluten-free spaghetti for a GF version and reserve extra pasta water for the emulsion. For dairy-free, swap in a cultured dairy-free Parmesan alternative, though the dish is best with real Pecorino and Grana.