Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
The Roman three-ingredient pasta — spaghetti, pecorino, and a flurry of black pepper, emulsified with starchy pasta water into a glossy, peppery sauce.
Ingredients
- spaghetti200 g
- pecorino romano80 g, finely grated
- black peppercorns1 tbsp, freshly cracked
- fine sea saltfor the pasta water
Steps
Boil water and cook spaghetti.
Bring a wide, shallow pot of generously salted water to a boil. Drop the spaghetti and cook to 1 minute shy of al dente.
Toast pepper and add pasta water.
Meanwhile, toast the cracked pepper in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a ladle of pasta water and let it sputter.
Reserve water and combine pasta with pepper.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti. Off heat, add the pasta to the pepper pan with another splash of water.
Sprinkle pecorino and toss pasta.
Sprinkle the pecorino over the pasta in stages, tossing constantly and adding more pasta water as needed, until a glossy creamy sauce forms.
Plate and finish with pepper.
Plate immediately, finish with another grind of pepper.
Nutrition, per serving. 450 calories. Protein 22 grams, 19 percent. Carbs 70 grams, 61 percent. Fat 10 grams, 20 percent. Fiber 3 grams, sugar 2 grams, saturated fat 5 grams, sodium 700 milligrams. Estimated from ingredients.
