Another classic Italian “cucina contadina” recipe, Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper) probably originated in the Lazio region of Italy. Food historians attribute the recipe to the traditional food of country shepherds dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. Today it is a famous classic pasta dish of Rome and like any classic dish, there are many variations. The original recipe calls for Pecorino Romano cheese, “cacio” in Roman dialect, but some contemporary recipes use a combination of Pecorino Romano and Parmesano Regiano, or Grana Padano, while some other contemporary recipes call for using olive oil, or butter, or milk in the sauce. This version maintains a commitment to the classic recipe calling for only four ingredients: Pecorino Romano (cacio), black pepper (pepe), a thick pasta like bucatini, and some of the hot starchy water the pasta is cooked in. Timing (technique) is everything with this simple but delicious pasta dish. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t come out perfectly the first time. Getting the finely grated cheese to emulsify without clumping is the trick. This recipe is a road map, adjust your method according to your kitchen and tastes. Persist and you will be rewarded! Check out the YouTube video link to develop your own method! Mangia e buon appetito!

Cacio e Pepi
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
·   6 ounces of a thick pasta like bucatini (a little less than ½ a box)
·   1 ½ – 2 teaspoons coarsely cracked/crushed black pepper (you want the sauce to be peppery; use a
meat mallet or some other heavy instrument to crack the peppercorns between pieces of paper)
·   1- 1 ½ cups finely grated Pecorino Romano (use the finest grater on a box grater)
·   Pasta water
·   salt for the pasta water

Method:
1. Bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil. (depending on the size of your pot; you want the pasta to just be submerged) Add a couple of teaspoons of salt to the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before the instructions on the box call for “al dente”. (if a 9 minute normal cook time, cook for 7 minutes) Use less water than the instructions on the box call for because you want the cooking water to be very starchy to create the creamy sauce (“cremina”). 

2. Meanwhile, over low heat in a heated dutch oven or another heavy bottom pan, toast the cracked black pepper until it is fragrant (about a minute or less, don’t burn it) Add ½ cup starchy pasta cooking water to the toasted pepper and reduce until the water is almost evaporated. 

3. While the pepper and pasta water sauce is reducing, in a warm bowl, add 1 cup hot pasta water to the Pecorino Romano and stir vigorously until you have a smooth, velvety sauce. (Note: about a 1-1 ratio of starchy water to the finely grated cheese.) 

4. (Don’t drain the pasta.) Add a ½ cup of hot pasta water to the pan with the black pepper and bring to a boil. Using tongs, add the undercooked pasta to the pan and continue cooking until al dente (not mushy!). 

5. Remove the pan from the heat, add the Pecorino sauce to the pasta, a little at a time, stirring constantly to make the luscious creamy sauce. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente and the sauce is velvety and creamy, your cacio e pepe is done. If the pasta is too dry and the sauce too thick and pasty and not saucy enough, slowly add a few tablespoons more of hot pasta water, stirring vigorously until the sauce is saucy and velvety, but not thin. (It should stick to the pasta and slowly drip off when you lift the pasta out of the pan.) 

6. Serve immediately in warmed bowls. Garnish with some more black pepper and Pecorino. You can also add a few red pepper flakes (optional). Good crusty bread is highly recommended. 

Serve as the “primi” for a big Italian meal, or as your main course for a simple weeknight meal along with a green salad, or grilled vegetables, or a Caprese salad of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. Mangia e buon appetito! 

Wine pairing:  choose wines that will stand up to this creamy peppery dish. For whites wines try Pinot Grigio, Orvieto, Vermentino, or a dry Riesling; red wines include Chianti, Pinot Noir, or a fruity Merlot.
https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/how-to-cook/cacio-e-pepe-guide-to-cook
https://greatist.com/eat/lidia-bastianich-takes-us-through-the-history-of-cacio-e-pepe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btpR-RpY-3Q (Highly recommend this video for the proper method.)