Cacio e Pepe
A simple, yet delicious, pasta that is creamy, peppery, cheesy, and down right scrumptious. A pasta derived from Rome and what some may consider "Italy's Mac & Cheese", this pasta already is on heavy rotation in my house!
Ingredients
- Pepper You can get the whole peppercorn and crush it like I did, or do better and wiser than I and use fresh cracked.
- Grated Peccorino Romano Cheese
- Spaghetti
- Salt For Pasta Water only. Remember the salty water becomes a base for your cream sauce, so taste and taste till you are content.
Instructions
- Place a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
- Crush or Crack Black Pepper. Toast them up in a frying pan.
- Bring pasta to a boil till "al dente". The pasta water should be starchy now, reserve some to add to cheese.
- In a separate bowl, add the pasta water to the cheese to make a creamy sauce.
- Using tongs, drop the pasta from the boiling pot into the frying pan with the pepper. This helps add a bit of pasta water since we aren't straining it.
- Mix the pepper and pasta water till well combined.
- TURN OFF the heat. (I made this mistake) Add the cheese mixture and mix it till creamy. This is where you use your own judgment. If it is not creamy enough either add more cheese or add more pasta water till you get yourself a creamy consistency.
- Plate and Serve with Extra cheese and pepper on top. Eat immediately!