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 which has been adapted from Jock Zonfrillo.

~ Preparation Instructions ~

1. 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 mins.

2. Toast the black peppercorns in a pan over high heat for a few minutes until you hear a popping sound. This releases the aroma & the citrusy notes of our Muziris Black Pepper and makes the peppercorns even more flavourful. Remove from the pan and grind them in a mortar & pestle or in a spice mixer as convenient. 

3. Reserving 1 & 1/2 cups/350 ml of the pasta water to make the sauce, drain the pasta and set aside.

4. Grate cheese in a micro plane grater. Blend the grated cheese, adding a little at a time, with some of the reserved pasta water using a hand blender or a stick blender. Blend until you get a creamy consistency.

5. In a large sauté pan, add the remaining pasta water along with the black pepper. Then add the pasta and stir well to finish cooking.

6. Remove pasta from heat and transfer in a large mixing bowl. Add the sauce and vigorously toss the pasta with the sauce until every strand of the pasta is coated with the sauce. Serve immediately when still hot.

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!