Authentic Cacio e Pepe (2024)

FAQs

What makes cacio e pepe so good? ›

Which is what makes cacio e pepe, the classic Roman pasta dish comprised of nothing more than (plenty of) grated Pecorino, (lots of) freshly cracked black pepper, and a splash of pasta water so damn special: Give those two the mic, and they can really sing.

That said, as simple as the cacio e pepe ingredient list may be, this dish is famously finicky when it comes to technique. If the cheese is overheated or the starchy pasta water isn't emulsified properly, the sauce can turn into a sticky, clumpy mess, which I can vouch from experience is always such a tragedy.

Don't overcook pasta.

Just like clumpy cheese can ruin Cacio e Pepe, so can mushy pasta. Make sure to cook your pasta just until barley al dente, meaning it has a bite, this is usually a couple minutes before the box says – so set your timer accordingly.

Opt for Parmesan: You can use Parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano, or even combine the two for a unique cheese profile. However, Parmesan isn't as salty or tangy as Pecorino Romano, so you may need to add more to get the sharpness that cacio e pepe is known for.

Ingredients. FILLING (RICOTTA CHEESE [WHEY, CREAM, SALT, CITRIC ACID {ACIDIFIER}], CREAM, PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE [SHEEP'S MILK, SALT, RENNET], LACTOSE, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, RICE FLOUR, SALT, BLACK PEPPER, LEMON JUICE), PASTA (WHEAT FLOUR, EGGS, DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA, WATER, BLACK PEPPER). CONTAINS MILK, EGG , WHEAT.

Spaghetti is the traditional pasta for cacio e pepe, but even Roman establishments now use popular shapes such as rigatoni, bucatini, and thick, square-cut noodles called tonnarelli. Use a good quality brand that cooks evenly and retains its al dente bite.

The specific cacio e pepe that Bourdain loves best comes from Ristorante Roma Sparita in Rome, where the smooth, buttery, cheesy pasta is served in a bowl made of Parmesan. It looks amazing. While gushing over the pasta, Bourdain said he'd give up his first sexual experience to eat it again.

The cheese will become stringy if you heat up your pan too much (above 70 °C or 158 °F). I tested all the methods, so you do not need to! Cacio e Pepe is rare in restaurants because it is hard to serve warm without the corn starch trick.

The secret, in addition to the chemical combination of water and Pecorino proteins to obtain a cream without lumps, lies in the flavor: whole peppercorns crushed the same day and plunged into the pan to toast releasing all their pungent aroma; the pasta whisked slowly and in a controlled way to absorb all the taste of ...

What is the difference between formaggio and cacio? ›

Cacio and formaggio are both Italian words for cheese. The two words are interchangeable, and there are no strict rules about their usage, but generally speaking, cacio is used when talking more specifically, about regional, local cheeses, and formaggio is used more generally, about cheeses across the world.

The translation of Cacio e Pepe literally means cheese and pepper. This pasta dish is incredibly simple, but packs a lot of rich flavor with pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground pepper. It has a very rich and strong flavor due to the Pecorino Romano sharp cheese as well as the heavy amount of pepper.

This typically Roman pasta dish goes back to ancient times. In their sacks, local shepherds would carry cacio cheese made from sheep's milk, pepper, and dried spaghetti. Cacio e pepe is a symbol of Rome – like the Colosseum, it's an institution.