We make cacio e pepe in the most simple and traditional way possible. Read: we do not put egg or cream in our cacio e pepe. We make a point to avoid the shortcuts that are commonly used to accommodate less than stellar ingredients. Just 3 ingredients are enough when they’re top quality! Start with pasta Martelli’s maccheroni di Toscana and you’ll be on the right track!
Ingredients
TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 5
- Maccheroni Martelli, 1 package (500g / 1.1 lbs)
- Pecorino Romano, 250g / 8.8 oz, finely grated
- Good black pepper, freshly ground
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
Preparation
- Boil the maccheroni in well salted water.
- In a mixing bowl, dilute the grated pecorino with water from the pasta pot until it melts and makes a cream. It should not be too liquidy, add more cheese if needed.
- Strain the pasta, saving some of the water.
- In the mixing bowl, combine the cheese and the hot pasta.
- Add some of the cooking pasta water, a spoonful at a time. Start mixing vigorously to create the creamy sauce.
- Add a nice handful of pepper and keep mixing (about 5 minutes).
Thanks for sharing this! I’ve tried all kinds of ways to make this in the USA and have it come out the way it’s served in Rome, with little success. So far I’ve blamed the poor-quality Pecorino Romano available here but next time I’ll try your Step #2 to try to get the creamy consistency that makes this dish so wonderful. Grazie!
Amazing! First time I’ve ever made this and it turned out incredibly.