A Roman, 3-ingredient pasta dish. It’s creamy, comforting, fast to arrange, and excellent for studying Italian meals classics at dwelling.
Cacio e pepe is a traditional Italian, Roman pasta dish with cheese and black pepper.
Traditionally it’s ready with Pecorino cheese, this model requires Italian Parmesan as an alternative.
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TL;DR
We toured Rome in April, and as we had been about to participate within the yearly Rome birthday celebrations, we had been instructed that the pope had handed away.
Disappointed, we ended up in a small meals joint for lunch with a plate of cacio e pepe. This dish immediately lifted our spirits!
Since then, Paul has been obsessive about making ready this pasta dish at dwelling as a result of it is a easy 3-ingredient meal. Cacio means “cheese” and pepe, “black pepper,” in Italian.
A correct cacio e pepe is ready with pecorino romano cheese, a tough, salty sheep cheese from Rome. The drawback is, they do not promote this cheese in our grocery retailer.
Instead, we go for Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, which can be a tough, salty cheese however from northern Italy.
Ingredient Notes
This is a straightforward dish, however the high quality of substances is crucial! Italian meals high quality is excessive customary, all the time.
- Spaghetti — Get a very good spaghetti model. We like Rummo, and we use Spaghetti No. 5 (as a result of that is what we get), however you should use the traditional Rummo Spaghetti is No. 3.
- Parmigiano Reggiano — This is correct Italian parmesan cheese. If you need your pasta to style scrumptious, similar to those in Italy, get REAL Parmigiano Reggiano made in Italy. Anything made outdoors of Italy simply does not style the identical means. You can nonetheless put together this dish with common parmesan, however the primary ingredient is flavorful cheese.
- Black Pepper — Your second most vital ingredient on this recipe. Use freshly floor black pepper. We cook dinner with our personal homegrown fruity Tellicherry black pepper (it is a black peppercorn selection), however we use loads of peppercorns, so we high up our pantry with these black peppercorns from India.
- Spaghetti Water — An neglected pasta boiling by-product. Spaghetti water is the bottom of your tacky pepper pasta sauce.
Note: Italian-made Parmesan is labeled as Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and they’re aged a minimal of 12 months. For one of the best outcome, freshly grate the cheese.
Process Overview
Step 1
Cook spaghetti in salt water as per package deal directions till agency and barely chewy (it ought to be midway uncooked).
Toast the bottom black pepper in a skillet.
Step 2
Place the spaghetti over the pepper with some pasta water.
Step 3
Combine floor parmesan with pasta water to make a clean, tacky sauce.
Step 4
Pour the parmesan sauce over the spaghetti within the pan and blend all of it in.
Reduce the sauce till the sauce clings to the pasta. Serve it sizzling as quickly because it’s performed.
📖 Recipe
Cacio e Pepe with Parmesan Recipe
A Roman, 3-ingredient pasta dish. It’s creamy, comforting, fast to arrange, and excellent for studying Italian meals classics at dwelling.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 517kcal
Instructions
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Heat up a pot with water and salt and cook dinner your spaghetti agency and barely chewy as per package deal directions.
6 Ounces Spaghetti
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Grate your Parmesan and grind your black pepper. Keep each apart individually.
1 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns Whole
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Keep a pan over a medium warmth setting and stir in floor black pepper. Briefly toast the black pepper till you’ll be able to odor the nutty, aromatic spice flavors releasing.
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Reduce the warmth setting and place the cooked pasta into the pan with the black pepper. Pour 1 ladle of pasta water over that.
2 Ladles Pasta Water
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Place the grated Parmigiano right into a bowl with the remaining 1 ladle of pasta water. Mix it collectively till you’ve a clean parmesan cheese sauce.
2 Ladles Pasta Water
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Pour the parmesan cheese sauce over the pasta within the pan and enhance the warmth setting to medium-high.
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Mix all of it properly and scale back the sauce till the sauce clings to the pasta and you might be happy with the outcome.
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Serve sizzling instantly.
Notes
About 3 ounces of raw spaghetti per particular person for a medium-sized portion.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Cacio e Pepe with Parmesan Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 517
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 807mg34%
Potassium 265mg8%
Carbohydrates 67g22%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 403IU8%
Calcium 620mg62%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
Serving
Cacio e pepe is served straight from the pan, nonetheless scorching sizzling and creamy.
The sauce stays creamy because it’s nonetheless sizzling, and you do not need it to lose its creaminess as you serve it. This is vital and might make or break your cacio e pepe expertise.
We prefer to drop some extra floor black pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano over the plated dish for taste and aesthetics.
Storing
This dish is greatest loved freshly ready and should not be refrigerated. There isn’t any level in making ready bigger batches.
Fresh cacio e pepe is the best way to go.
