Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe is the simplest of dishes, but achieving creamy, silky perfection took us years of attempts. We did it. And you will too.
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time35 minutes
- 28
In Rome, home of cacio e pepe, six chefs and cooks each taught us their method for making the pasta classic, and once back in the Milk Street kitchen, we got to work devising our own formula. We quickly learned that the variety of pasta—as well as how you harness its starch—are key to achieving the subtly creamy sauce that’s really more a cheesy, clingy coating. Bronze-cut spaghetti is essential. This type of pasta is extruded through a bronze die that leave the noodles with a rough, floury appearance instead of the smooth, sleek sheen of less expensive pastas extruded through nonstick die. (Widely available DeCecco is “bronze drawn” and works in this recipe, as do premium brands such as Rustichella d’Abruzzo.) By using an unconventional method of starting bronze-cut pasta in a minimal amount of room temperature water in a skillet, then using that starchy water as the basis for the “sauce,” we were able to attain the perfect consistency. (Bonus: this technique requires only one pan.) As for the cheeses—we landed on equal parts nutty Parmesan and sharp, funky pecorino. The cheeses must be finely grated so they readily melt; use the fine holes of box grater or a wand-style grater, or cut the cheese into chunks and grind them together in a food processor. Lastly, toasting the pepper before coarsely grinding it enhances its flavor and aroma. Adding some of the pepper along with a couple tablespoons of grated cheese to the pasta water deeply seasons the noodles. This also results in a more velvety finish. Once made, cacio e pepe doesn’t hold well, so make sure serving bowls and forks are at hand. If you can, warm the bowls in advance so the pasta better retains its creaminess once plated.
Don’t try to cook a full pound of pasta; it won’t fit comfortably in the skillet and will throw off the flavor, texture and timing. Twelve ounces is the ideal amount. Some brands of pasta take longer to cook than others and absorb more moisture; if the amount of water in the pan looks too scant to cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente, add another ½ cup water. On the other hand, if there is still a generous amount of liquid in the pan when the pasta is just shy of al dente, go ahead with the addition of cheese. Cooking for a minute or two after all the cheese has been melted in will “tighten up” the consistency.
Step 1
In a 12-inch skillet over medium, toast the peppercorns, shaking the pan often, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool, then pulse until coarsely ground, 8 to 10 pulses. (Alternatively, transfer the peppercorns to a mortar, let cool and crush with a pestle until coarsely ground.) In a small bowl, toss together both cheeses.
Step 2
To the same skillet, add the spaghetti, placing the noodles parallel to each other in the center of the pan, then add 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture and ½ teaspoon each salt and the pepper. Add 4½ cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook, uncovered and frequently moving the pasta about with tongs but keeping it submerged as much as possible, until just shy of al dente; when done, the pasta will no longer be fully submerged and there should be a fair amount of starchy liquid (at least 1 cup) in the pan. If the pasta is very underdone and the water is already quite reduced, add another ½ cup water and cook, stirring often, until just shy of al dente.
Step 3
With the pan still on medium-high, add about half of the remaining cheese mixture and toss until fully melted. Add the remaining cheese mixture in 2 more additions, tossing until melted after each. The liquid will have formed a thin sauce that pools in the pan. With the skillet still on medium-high, continue tossing the spaghetti until al dente and lightly sauced, with a small amount of creamy sauce (about ¼ cup) pooled in the skillet; the timing will vary based on how much liquid was in the pan before the first addition of cheese. But at this point, cooking should take a couple of minutes at the most.
Step 4
Off heat, toss in 1 teaspoon of the remaining pepper, then let stand for 1 to 2 minutes; during this time, the sauce will “tighten” a bit more. Toss again. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed. Offer the remaining pepper on the side.
