Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about carbs. Breads, pasta, rice. I’d pick carbs over sweets any day of the week. So, when I discovered this simple and classic pasta dish, I wondered where it had been hiding all my life. When I say classic, I mean it’s been around for about 4000 years in one form or another. For those who don’t speak Italian, Cacio e Pepe means Cheese and Pepper. And that pretty much sums up the dish. Simple right?
Do not judge this dish by its simplicity. Even though it has very few ingredients and can be made in the time it takes to water your garden, the ingredients that give it its name meld to create a depth of flavor that will make you wonder why you wasted your college years on boxed ramen and canned spaghetti. Seriously, what was that about?
Variations of this recipe are hotly debated. Seriously. People get passionate about their pasta. Everyone agrees that it’s made with a long, thin, medium weight pasta, but opinions split on which one is best — classic spaghetti, bucatini or perciatelli (a sort of hollow spaghetti), or tonnarelli (a sort of square spaghetti) . About that cheese? Should you go old school with Pecorino Romano, or is Parmesan the way to go? How about both?
As with each recipe I share, I will include my personal recommendations for products that work well, as well as the reasoning behind my choices.
Product Recommendations:
Although this recipe is wonderful with any of the above types of pasta, my favorite is a bucatini. I especially like Barilla’s Collezione Bucatini. This type of pasta holds sauces and cheese very well due, in part, to the “buco” or hole that runs through the middle and captures liquid within the noodle itself. Barilla’s Collezione line is created with traditional bronze plates for a beautiful texture. It’s the next best thing to making it from scratch at home.
As usual, I use my go-to Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which doesn’t take away from the classic flavors of the dish.
When selecting cheese for recipes like this one, I recommend buying the blocks of cheese imported from Italy. They cost just a bit more than the American versions, but the heightened flavor is completely worth it. Also, by buying the cheese in the block and grating it at home, it doesn’t have the cellulose and other additives found in pre-packaged shredded or grated cheese.
For my own Cacio e Pepe, I use a combination of two imported Italian cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. Parmigiano Reggiano has a milder nutty flavor, whereas the Pecorino Romano has a saltier, tangier flavor. For the curious, more detailed information about the difference between them can be found here. I use both because I like how they blend into something more than the sum of their parts when used together in this dish.
To be honest, there isn’t really a wrong answer here with regards to which pasta and which cheese. It will ultimately be a matter of personal taste and preference. However, no matter what you choose, it’s hard to go wrong with this dish.
Cacio e Pepe
A deceptively simple pasta dish for the whole family
Ingredients
- salt
- 12 oz. bucatini (I prefer Barilla Collezione bucatini.)
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, separated
- 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (I prefer Pompeiian Smooth)
- 1 Tbs. freshly ground coarse black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra for serving
Directions
- Bring 4 – 6 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, about 7-8 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- In a large, nonstick skillet, toast the ground pepper for about 30 seconds over medium heat, just until fragrant.
- Add olive oil and 3 tablespoons of the butter to the pan, and cook, stirring, until the butter melts completely.
- Add the drained pasta and 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, and toss to coat.
- Add the grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. Continue to toss until the cheese has melted and the pasta is well-coated.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water and tablespoon of butter, tossing to incorporate. Salt to taste.
- Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and garnish with remaining cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Fixing Two 