The GüdDish Cacio e Pepe

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Cacio e Pepe. The GüdDish.

Serves 4 · 10–15 min prep · 25–35 min total · 8 steps

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cacio e Pepe
  • 12 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli
  • 1 2/3 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
  • 1 tbs unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 4 tsp whole black peppercorns (toast, then crack coarse; reserve some to finish)
  • 1 tbs kosher salt, for the pasta water

What the best recipes taught us

  • Save a cup of the pasta water. The starchy water is what makes the sauce.
  • Toss the pasta and cheese off the heat. Off the heat, the cheese melts into a sauce.

Method

  1. 1
    Pecorino grated into a bowl
    12/3cfinely grated Pecorino Romano
    4tspwhole black peppercorns

    Grate the Pecorino on the finest holes of a box grater or a microplane until you have about 1 2/3 cups, loosely packed (or Parmesan).

    Measure 4 teaspoons of whole black peppercorns.

    Set out a large heatproof mixing bowl.

  2. 2
    Peppercorns toasting in a dry skillet

    Set a wide dry skillet over medium heat.

    Toast the peppercorns, shaking often, until sharp and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let them scorch.

    Tip them onto a board or into a mortar and crush into small pieces. Stop before the pepper turns to powder.

    Put about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cracked pepper in a small dish for the sauce. Keep the rest for finishing.

    Wipe out the skillet.

  3. 3

    Fill a large pot with about 2 quarts of water (roughly half what you would normally use for this much pasta) and bring it to a full rolling boil.

    Stir in 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.

    1tbskosher salt, for the pasta water
  4. 4
    Pecorino mashed into a thick paste

    Meanwhile, put the grated Pecorino in a medium bowl.

    Mash in spoonfuls of hot water one at a time until you have a thick yogurt-like paste, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup total.

    A food processor works too. Pulse the cheese fine, then drip in hot water with the machine running until you hit the same paste.

    Set the paste beside the stove.

  5. 5
    Spaghetti boiling in starchy water
    12ozspaghetti or tonnarelli

    Add the spaghetti or tonnarelli to the boiling water.

    Stir for the first 30 seconds so the strands do not stick.

    Cook until just shy of al dente, usually 1 to 2 minutes less than the package time.

    Scoop out at least 1 1/2 cups of the cloudy cooking water and keep it close.

    Leave the rest of the water boiling in the pot.

  6. 6
    Cracked pepper blooming in butter
    1tbsunsalted butter or olive oil
    11/2tsppepper

    In the last minute of the pasta boil, set the skillet you wiped over medium heat.

    Add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter or olive oil to the skillet.

    When the butter or olive oil is hot, add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of cracked pepper reserved for the sauce.

    Cook 30 to 60 seconds, stirring, until spicy and fragrant. Do not burn it.

    Scrape the pepper and butter or olive oil into the large heatproof bowl.

    Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot pasta water to the bowl and swirl.

    Turn off the skillet. The sauce comes together in the bowl, off the heat.

  7. 7
    Pasta tossed with pecorino off the heat
    Pecorino paste

    Using tongs, transfer the pasta from the pot into the large heatproof bowl with the pepper and butter or olive oil.

    Toss about 30 seconds so every strand picks up pepper.

    Still off the heat, fold in half the cheese paste and toss hard.

    Splash in more hot pasta water, then the rest of the paste.

    Keep adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce looks glossy and coats every strand without puddling.

  8. 8

    Taste a strand. Add a pinch of salt only if it tastes bland.

    Plate right away and finish with the reserved cracked pepper.

    Serve hot. The sauce tightens as it cools.

    pepper