Authentic Cacio e Pepe

Name: Authentic Cacio e Pepe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 bowls
Ingredients: ¼ cup water; 10 oz bucatini pasta; 2 cups pecorino romano; 2 teaspoons black pepper

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4.9

159 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings
6 bowls
Calories
206 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian

Authentic Cacio e Pepe

Brayden Ortiz

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My three ingredient bucatini cacio e pepe recipe is as authentic and foolproof as it gets (adapted from Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in Rome). Ready in just 20 minutes.

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Ingredients

Servings

¼ cup water reserved from cooking pasta
10 oz bucatini pasta see substitutions in post
2 cups pecorino romano freshly grated, additional for garnish
2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground and coarse

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Instructions

Bring three quarters of a gallon of water to boil (roughly 2 liters, i.e. 10 cups of water) with salt. Add pasta and cook pasta slightly under the time mentioned on the package (typically about 8 to 9 minutes for al dente texture)
As pasta cooks, grate Pecorino Romano (using the smallest hole on your grater). Set aside in a large bowl.
Heat a skillet on medium heat, and add a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper to toast it.
Use a ladle and scoop out some of the pasta water into the skillet with the pepper. The water will bubble, and turn somewhat white due to the starch (but this is good, because it'll help the cheese and pepper bind to your pasta!)
Add a quarter cup of the pasta water to the bowl with the cheese, ideally one tablespoon at a time and whisk it together using a fork to create a thick paste. Add cautiously since you don't want it to get runny (but don't fret if it does, just add more cheese!) Unconventional, tech-savvy tip: Add the cheese and pepper to a food processor along with a tablespoon of cold water and pulse until forms a "lumpy" mixture (or use a fork). Then, use hot water to dilute and bring it to the right saucy consistency.
Remove the pasta and add it to the skillet with the pepper and water, and toss to coat. Add half a cup of pasta water to the skillet. If the water gets absorbed, add a bit more as well as fresh cracked pepper and keep mixing. The starchy pasta water is critical for binding with the cheese to create a smooth sauce!
Turn the heat off, and add the cheesy paste to the skillet with the pasta. Toss evenly until it's nicely combined, and smooth (the cheese should not be chunky).
Serve hot with a grind of coarse black pepper and a sprinkle of cheese!

Notes

Use the right amount of water! Typically, I am not picky about the amount of water to cook pasta. But the key to make the sauce perfect is getting the optimal starch content in the pasta water. So, you need to measure your water (at least the first couple of times, until you know how much it ballparks to!)
Use a long, thick and hollow pasta if possible - long pasta helps coat the cheese sauce evenly and keeps it delicious!
Once you add the cheese, if the pasta feels like it's clumpy, you can add some of the water you reserved to make sure that the pasta is coated evenly.
Unconventional, but tech-savvy tip: Okay, don't come after me, but if you don't want to figure out how to toss and coat evenly, a trick I've found is to take a small food processor and add the cheese and some pasta water to it and give it a good whizz. This makes a super creamy paste. Then, add that to the hot skillet with the pasta, pasta water and pepper.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 206kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 29g (10%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 17mg (6%) Sodium 203mg (8%) Potassium 107mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 69IU (1%) Calcium 188mg (19%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6bowls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 206 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	206kcal	10%
Carbohydrates	29g	10%
Protein	10g	20%
Fat	5g	8%
Saturated Fat	3g	15%
Cholesterol	17mg	6%
Sodium	203mg	8%
Potassium	107mg	2%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	1g	2%
Vitamin A	69IU	1%
Calcium	188mg	19%
Iron	1mg	6%