A recipe of the Roman tradition featuring our freshly crushed Muziris Black Pepper that is even more wonderfully aromatic after a slight toast in the pan that brings out its citrusy notes. A 3~ingredient recipe where the purity of ingredients is a decisive factor in getting the peculiar taste of this classic pasta dish. If you can get your hands on the 2 other ingredients ~ pecorino cheese & tonnarelli pasta ~ you will be rewarded with the most authentic and satisfying Cacio e pepe. If not, you can also make do with spaghettoni and parmesan, and follow the recipe below.
Gather Your Ingredients
~ Preparation Instructions ~
- Bring a large pot to a boil, season the pasta water with some salt. Then add the spaghettoni pasta and cook until al dente for about 7 minutes.
- Toast the black peppercorns in a pan over high heat until they begin to pop. This enhances their aroma and citrusy flavor. Remove and grind using a mortar & pestle or spice grinder.
- Reserve 1½ cups (350 ml) of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Grate the cheese using a microplane grater. Blend the grated cheese gradually with the reserved pasta water using a hand blender until a creamy sauce forms.
- In a sauté pan, add the remaining pasta water and the ground black pepper. Add the pasta and stir to finish cooking.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese sauce and vigorously toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
Cacio e pepe’s simplicity is what makes this dish a house favourite and so it makes a weekly appearance on our dinner tables. Buon appetito!
