Over the years, I’ve tackled this pasta dish a few different ways. This recipe comes from “Brooklyn Supper” and is fool proof. As simple as this 4 ingredient pasta is, you can end up with clumpy cheese and a thin sauce… but not with this Cacio e Pepe. (Literally means “cheese and pepper.”) It is traditionally made with thick spaghetti (I prefer bucatini), Pecorino/Parmesan cheese and lots of freshly-cracked black pepper. Then instead of adding in lots of heavy cream to make the cheese sauce, all you need are a few ladle-fulls of the starchy pasta water. Because it’s Spring….I added a little lemon zest to finish.
Cacio e Pepe
Makes: 6 servings
- 1 pound spaghetti or bucatini
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup pasta water
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino
- Lemon zest for garnish, if desired
Bring a large pot of water (only enough to barely cover the pasta, for a starchy water) to a boil. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and set a timer for two minutes less than the shortest recommended cook time.
Meanwhile, in a deep, wide pot big enough to hold the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the pepper. The butter and pepper mixture will bubble and bloom, once fragrant, turn heat to low.
When the pasta is almost done, use a measuring cup to pull 1 cup starchy pasta water from the pot and add it to the butter mixture. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a vigorous simmer. Stir often as the butter and pasta water reduce to a creamy, light brown sauce. Keep over low heat.
When the pasta’s done, scoop it out of the water with your spaghetti spoon and toss it in the pot with the creamy sauce. With your spaghetti spoon and maybe a second wooden spoon, work quickly to fold the cheese into the hot pasta. Add a splash more pasta water as needed.
Serve pasta immediately in big twists, garnish with lemon zest, cheese and more pepper.
