Cacio e Pepe
This pasta dish was our absolute favorite during our honeymoon in Rome. With just a few ingredients the trick is all in the technique. After many trial and errors I finally perfected this dish to achieve a creamy sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Bucatini Pasta You could also use Spaghetti or Linguine pasta
- Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Use a shallow pan that’s wide enough to hold the pasta. Fill the pan with just enough water that it would cover the pasta. Add a few dashes of salt so your water is salty like the ocean (that’s the best analogy I use for salting the water). Bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling add the pasta. Stir occasionally over medium-high heat so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan. Allow the water to absorb in the pasta and refrain from adding more water.
- When the pasta is al dente and the pasta water is almost all absorbed, turn off the heat. If you have too much water remove with a spoon but reserve the pasta water in a cup in case you need it. You should have just a little bit of water, but not a ton left in your pan. The starchy water from the noodles helps to make the sauce.
- Add the freshly ground pepper (to your taste) and parmesan cheese. For an extra step you could toast your fresh black pepper in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat. This helps to bring out the flavor of the pepper, but it’s not a required step. Stir until the pepper and the cheese are well combined. Toss in a little olive oil to help combine the sauce.
- Serve the pasta with a little more pepper, parmessan cheese and olive oil on top.