The pasta dish that has taken over the internet
The first time I tried spaghetti cacio e pepe was in Rome in September 2016. I did my food research before taking the Frecciarossa from Milan to Rome, wanting to maximize my long weekend in Italy’s capital. I was told to order pasta all’amatriciana, carbonara, and cacio e pepe - the Holy Trinity of Roman dishes. Cacio e pepe, not yet a trendy dish, meant nothing to me at the time. I didn’t even know what cacio meant (cheese from sheep’s milk). Immediately after disembarking the train, my friend and I ducked into a little osteria near our hotel, where I ordered cacio e pepe. My taste buds were forever changed.
I don’t know why cacio e pepe has suddenly caught on like wildfire. It seems like one day, the non-Italian world woke up, sampled the dish, and then realized what they had been missing all their lives. It truly feels like an overnight trend! Perhaps we can thank restaurants for serving their pasta out of oversized cheese rinds…
Back in 2018, I tried making cacio e pepe for my parents and in-laws (then just my boyfriend’s parents). Three out of the four are Italian-American, and none of them knew what the hell I was making. “Catch-o de what?”
Cacio e pepe.
Fast forward to 2022 and everyone is obsessed with this four-ingredient first course. The name is equally simple, translating to “cheese and pepper.” It dates back to Ancient Rome, when shepherds would use ultra-fresh sheep’s cheese (then cacio, today cacio or pecorino are acceptable) and add it to pasta - formerly tonnarelli, but now spaghetti is customary. The simplicity derived from necessity, as the shepherds would sleep alongside their sheep and bring only dried pasta with them on their journey. Though the dish is thousands of years old, it’s proven to be timeless, thanks to its few requirements and comforting flavors.
Like risotto, cacio e pepe is a deceivingly difficult plate to perfect. Because of its few ingredients, there is nowhere to hide. The margin for error is small (I mean really small), and the techniques required to create a restaurant-quality dish aren’t obvious to someone reading a simple recipe. Despite my utter failure four years ago, a few followers asked for an article about cacio e pepe, so I tried again this weekend. Ask and you shall receive.
What you’ll need
Whole black peppercorns
Spaghetti
Pecorino romano, grated
Kosher salt (for cooking the pasta)
Helpful equipment: pasta tongs and a mortar & pestle
For our cacio e pepe dinner party, I made a batch of homemade spaghetti in advance. I bought the spaghetti attachment for my Marcato pasta maker specifically for this. While homemade pasta is undeniably tastier, I would have benefitted from the lengthy cook time for store-bought pasta. Cacio e pepe is a ten-minute dish - even quicker when the pasta cooks in under five minutes. Keep in mind that cacio e pepe is traditionally made with very long noodles, which can be tricky to manage with a home pasta maker. You’ll need flour, flour, and more flour to keep the strands from sticking together.
Here is where the quest for perfection truly began. I read a great cacio e pepe recipe about ten times before cooking, hoping to ingest some invaluable knowledge. I quickly realized that this is one of those meals that is all about feeling, not memorizing. If you plan to attempt making cacio e pepe, I highly recommend following the general steps and adjusting to your taste buds.
The Process
Begin by grinding your peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. For four people, I started with about a tablespoon and increased from there. If you’re tempted to use pre-ground pepper…don’t. The fresh aroma and coarseness of the grounds are essential to the flavor and texture of this dish.
Grate fresh pecorino (at least two cups) and place in a medium bowl.
Boil your pasta, using less water than usual. A main component of cacio e pepe is pasta water, which needs to be extra starchy. Remove the pasta when it is very al dente. It’s sooner than you’d think!
Add the pasta to a warm pan with the fresh pepper, stir to combine, and add a ladle of hot pasta water. Continue stirring, adding more pepper if necessary.
Pour ladles of pasta water into the bowl of pecorino, whisking until the sauce is lump-free. Add more cheese and water as needed, until the mixture is the right consistency (medium thickness).
Add the cheese sauce to the skillet, stirring constantly but gently. If you have my taste buds, you’ll want to add more cheese and more pepper.
Serve immediately!
The Verdict
To really understand the fundamentals of cacio e pepe, I cooked two versions back-to-back. Both times, I got the pepper just right, but I like a LOT of pepper. I probably used at least two tablespoons of whole peppercorns, maybe three.
In round one, I didn’t use enough cheese. The pasta tasted good, but it was a bit dry. I was so focused on following the recipe that I limited myself. What kind of an American am I?! In round two, I just went for it, kept grated cheese at the ready, and added sauce until the pasta felt creamy enough. Because this dish requires a rapid cook and constant attention, I recommend serving for four guests at most. In phase two, I prepared half the pasta, enabling me to coat each noodle with the right amount of cheese. Too much spaghetti can make it unmanageable and clumpy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using too much pasta water
Using pepper grounds
Not whisking the cheese sauce thoroughly or letting it sit
Not serving quickly enough*
*Matt tried cacio e pepe for the first time (let’s exclude my 2018 fail) a few weeks ago at a local restaurant. They made the opposite mistakes I did - the pasta was doused in sauce, needed more pepper, and was served cold. While their sauce was tasty, it had already congealed by the time we ate. If there is one lesson you take with you today: serve hot!!!!
