Cacio e Pepe, translating to "cheese and pepper," is the epitome of Italian simplicity.
Ingredients
- 6 g whole black peppercorns
- Salt to taste
- 160 g spaghetti
- 30 g finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 30 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot, salting generously.
- Toast peppercorns in a pan over medium/high heat for 4 minutes, then grind them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. Return to the pan.
- Add pasta to the boiling water and cook 3 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.
- Add pasta water to the pepper pan and simmer, adding more pasta water as necessary.
- Mix pecorino and Parmigiano cheeses in a bowl.
- Transfer the pasta to the sauce using tongs, adding 2-3 more ladles of pasta water. Simmer while stirring on high heat until al dente.
- Turn off heat and let the pasta cool for 3 minutes. Stir in cheese and pasta water in stages until the cheese melts into the sauce.