Cacio e Pepe: A Spicy, Creamy, Simple, Cheap and Satisfying Roman Meal
Apr 29th, 2008 by Amy
I think the title of this post says it all about my feelings (and others) about the famous Romans dish of pasta, traditionally spaghetti, with pecorino cheese and a good amount of freshly ground pepper. The name says is all - cacio, meaning cheese, and pepe meaning pepper. We’re not breaking any new ground here because I’m sure there’s about 50 other food blogs that have made this dish. I’m just here hoping that if anyone does make it, they try to make it the freshest and best way they can.
I’m going to get my food snob on here - please do not make this dish soley with parmigiano reggiano and that crappy, old shaker filled with pepper that you may only bust out when laying out your fine china on one or two holidays a year. The pepper most likely has zero flavor anymore - if you do, please name the dish whatever you want. I personally think “Pasta with Parmigianno Reggiano and Crappy Old, Non-Spicy Pepper from the Depths of My Cupboard” works great! If you go to the store and spend $4 you can get some black peppercorns. Just put them into a pepper grinder or, if you don’t have one, throw the peppercorns in a plastic baggie and grab a meat mallet or a hammer and get out your aggressions. Keep hammering until you’ve produced some nice, ground pepper. Make alot if you’d prefer to not have to go through this exercise again and freeze the extras to prevent the pepper from going bad (ie: flavorless).
The reason I’m so passionate about this is because you can not recreate the amazing flavor of this old, traditional dish if you do not have good pepper. When freshly ground, pepper is very spicy and full of flavor. It is not supposed to just produce a nice contrast of color to a boring meal - although the beauty of it is it does that too! Research taught me that in ancient Rome pepper was extremely popular and was used for medicinal reasons by the ancient Greeks. It was 
revered as a very valuable spice. As for the cheese, I’ll go a bit easier on you if you don’t use the Pecorino cheese, but I’ll give you a light tap on the bum so you’ll remember to try it with that cheese next time. Pecorino would only be used in this dish in Rome because, well, that’s the regional cheese in that area. If you look close at the label, it’s really called Pecorino Romano, right? Parmigiano and pecorino are two very different tasting cheeses. In fact, there are many varieties of pecorino in Italy ranging from soft to hard versions of the cheese. For this discussion, we are generally talking solely about Pecorino Romano - the hard cheese that is able to be grated. If you do a comparison, I’d imagine you’d notice that pecorino is much sharper in taste where parmigiano is more nutty and mellow in flavor. Both are pretty nice and salty, which is why you should not have to salt this dish. Some people feel very strongly about choosing one of these cheeses over the other. Because of this, we have chosen to use a mixture of the cheeses for this version of cacio e pepe. This way you get a blend of the cheese. But in Rome, you will most likely find the dish made only with pecorino.
When made correctly, you will not believe how unbelievably creamy and spicy this dish is. I felt like we were back in Rome (of course only if I closed my eyes VERY hard and did not open them to reveal a very closet-like, dirty Brooklyn apartment). This dish is so quick and easy, I’m sure Rachel Ray couldn’t even make it because she’d only fill 1/8 of a show. Give it a try - you won’t be disappointed.
Also, months ago we wrote a post on a great NYC restaurant with the same name as this dish. If you’re ever in New York, I’d advise you to give this awesome restaurant a try… and order their signature dish made in a hollowed out wheel of pecorino!
CACIO E PEPE (Spaghetti with Pecorino Romana and Fresh Ground Pepper) - serves 2 as a main, 3 to 4 as a starter)
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound of spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper (depending on how spicy you want it!)
- a bit of the pasta cooking liquid (about 1/4 to 1/2 of a ladel-full)
- 1/2 cup of freshly ground pecorino romano
- 1/2 cup freshly ground parmigiano reggiano
What to do:
- Boil your spaghetti until perfectly al dente (about 7 minutes)
- In a separate pan, on low-medium heat, add your butter, oil and 1/2 of your pepper and allow the butter to melt, swirly the pan around to help it move a bit.
- When spaghetti is done, add a bit of the cooking liquid to your melted butter/pepper/olive oil sauce and swirl the pot again. Turn heat down to low. Add your spaghetti and toss once.
- Add your cheeses and the rest of the pepper and toss the spaghetti again in the pan.
- Plate and top with a sprinkle more of pepper and cheese. Voila! DONE.
Check out some other posts you may enjoy:
- FETTUCCINE FRA’DIAVOLO WITH CRAB AND SHRIMP
- SPANISH (AUSTURIAN) OXTAIL WITH FRIED POTATOES
- TAGLIATELLE WITH AUTHENTIC RAGU DI FEGATO DI POLLO (Long Pasta w/ Ragu of Chicken Livers, Milk and White Wine)
- GNOCCHI DI PATATE WITH A BROWN BUTTER, SAGE, BREADCRUMB SAUCE
- Truffled Butter: A Prince Among Ideas
- The Wrong Message from a Former Prophet (Delia Smith Jumps Ship)
that was kinda sorta my dinner last night but not really
i threw in anchovies, no butter and added parsley and chives
and i used the last of my beautiful pasta dough for fettucine
next time i’ll go classic all the way
beautiful photo
Nice post Amy, and great photos! I love this pasta dish…. you’re right, it brings you right back to Rome doesn’t it? Simple and sooooooo good.
Love simplepasta like this. And I am a pepper snob too. I cringe to use the stuff sitting out in a shaker for Lord only knows how long. Give me my peppercorns.
Hi Amy, I’ve never seen a better looking bowl of spaghetti! I wholeheartedly agree with you about the fresh ground pepper AND the Pecorino Romano. I too prefer pecorino to parmigiano and by chance because parmigiano is made from cow’s milk, my wife can’t eat it. Pecorino, however, is made from sheep’s milk as you know, and is perfectly fine for her to enjoy. We’ve found some fantastic sheep and goat milk cheese’s thanks to her intolerance for all cow’s milk products!
Using two different cheeses for this pasta dish would certainly be a winner. Here in the UK , if I’m not mistaken, Pecorina isn’t so expensive as Parmigiano. I watched a very interesting interview on television the other day about a lady here in the UK, who has written a book about pepper.
Your pasta is so darn pretty!!! I always have both cheeses in my fridge…. it makes me feel cultured. Great post! I love the part about the mallet - I think Alfredo is worried that I use it so often. I have to confess that I never thought to use it on peppercorns. I can’t wait!
xoxox Amy
p.s. Do you mind if I add your site to my blogroll?
Yum…yum….YUM! Simple pasta is my husband’s favorite thing to eat. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but in Rome would this be a main dish, or would it be paired with something else (a protein?) for a complete meal? Or, is this a pasta course that would be followed by something else?
Never been to Rome, just curious.
Not sure how you feel about Batali’s places, but this is my favourite dish there. Almost moronically simple, and yet it’s incredibly elegant. If you feel like going rogue, it’s delicious with a little Meyer Lemon zest tossed in.
Simple perfection. This is even better than Aglio Oglio. I would also like the lemon zest that Marc mentioned.
hi, guys. thanks for stopping by. A few things:
1. thanks for the comment on the photo. it’s amazing what taking 1 minute to do the ‘twirl’ with some tongs can do. i was SO friggin’ hungry at that moment, it was difficult not to just plop it in the bowl.
2. Margaret: It’s the same here - Pecorino is SO much cheaper than Parmigiano reggiano. I think it’s b/c of how it’s made… I should’ve done some research on that!
3. Amy B: Just don’t use that mallet on Alfredo! And, yes, we’d be honored to be on your blogroll… thanks so, so much!
4. Leah: Great question. In Rome, every menu allows you to order 4 courses: antipasti (kind of an app or a salad), primi (first course - often pasta), secondi (main dish - often meat or fish) and contorni (dessert). So, to answer your question, many Romans may order this as a first course, then order a main as a second. Many tourists feel it’s difficult to eat their main meal during the day, so they would prob. order their pasta as their only dish, maybe paired w/ an antipasti. Most Italians, like other Europeans, eat their main meal during lunch.
5.Marc: see this is why Mario Batali is not only great at what he does (i do love him… he was all that really was good on the food network before they got rid of his ass too!), but is a smart business man. he’s charging about $15 to $20 for a plate of easy, simple pasta. But he does it traditionally and he does it RIGHT. he’s a god to us! i just wish we had more of a chance to afford or get into babbo - and we live close like you!
6. heather; YEEEEESSSS! YOU’RE BAAACK! omg.
4.
A pasta dish likes screams to use quality, fresh pasta and good cream, fresh ground pepper. Simplicity triumphs.
Hi Amy, I thought I will pay you a visit back
Love the way how you are opinionated about Italian food, I am also always fighting to get people on the right way! I could put my name under this post, for example. Now, if we only could get the notion of “cream” out of peoples heads when we talk about “creamy” (what a difference a -y makes!), especially when we talk about Italian food, especially about south-Italian food….. If I see one more so-called “carbonara” recipe out there, I will scream! (actually, I already do!) There is so much “teaching” to do, lol. Keep on writing, I will!
beautiful photo of my all-time favorite pasta dish. le sigh.
Your picture is so good looking. Yes, it is amazing what a simple twist of pasta can do to look soooooo enticing. I will be making this dish this weekend. Now what wine goes with this?
Thanks!
my husband would love this hot pasta. the only thing is that he would probably request to have some meat on top, too:)
hande/peter: thanks for your comments. there is, of course, no cream in this dish, only butter, cheese and pepper, but the butter and melted pecorino do give it “creamy” mouth-feel.
Dawn: we don’t profess much knowledge of wine, but going with the terroir, and based on what we drank in Rome I would say a nice, chilled Frascati would be great, perhaps even one (if you can find it) with a slight effervescence - “frizzante” in Italian. Failing that, we had a lovely bottle of Collini Albani when in Viterbo (a lovely town an hour north of Rome in Lazio) that I would love to drink alongside this dish.
I love simple pastas like this. I don’t generally consider myself a carb addict, but there is something about spaghetti lightly flavored with a nice quality strong cheese that makes me so happy. Don’t worry. I only use freshly ground black pepper in my kitchen.
And thanks for the restaurant rec. I will have to check this place out the next time I’m in that neighborhood.
I think Peter states it very succinctly: Simplicity Triumphs. This looks spectacular and simple.
For a pasta lover like myself, this is definitely my idea of heaven on a plate!!
Maria
x
This looks like a WONDERFULLY simple dish! And the best part is that the most expensive thing is probably the Pecorino!
Hey guys, great post! Simple things are the best! High quality ingredients, patience and pasta… and there you have it!!! Don’t you ever invite me to your table… I could have 2 pasta dishes without any problem
Love this pasta dish, our Roman chef always makes it!! hear, hear on quality of ingredients, so important especially for simple dishes like this!! Great photos, looks perfect!!
Thisdish, and a cool, crisp glass of wine, and I’m in heaven!!!
Lovely photographs! This is one of my favorite pasta dishes and one I rely on a lot on those crazy, hectic weeknights. My Nonna used to make this for us all the time when we were kids. Kind of like the Roman version of mac & cheese! Sometimes, she’d crack an egg in it too. Mmmm!
Yum, this looks amazing! I like pecorino on pasta and I like to eat parmigiano straight - love the little crystals in the good stuff!
hahahah i tried twirling noodles using a fork and it took me soooo many times and i still cudnt get it right T_T
btw,
You’re invited to my chinese take-out party, check out the details in my blogpost:
http://mochachocolatarita.blogspot.com/2008/05/celebrating-my-88th-post-chinese-take.html
Hope you’ll play along
Looking forward to your take on chinese take-out ^_^
Between this and your pizza post, you guys are making me miss Rome something fierce.
hey again guys… again, as always, love these comments. Peter, you’re so damn right… it makes us miss Rome ’something fierce’ too! this is how i feel closest to the places we’ve visited - thru food. but, it’s kind of depressing to be sitting on your couch in brooklyn eating it over in the square in roma. sigh!
to me that looks wonderful. perfect clasic dish made with quality ingredients like it should be done. familiar and delicious. i couldn’t agree more, i always shudder with horror when i see shakey cheese or pepper!!
This is one of favorites dishes. I eat it in Rome all the time. You are so right about only using fresh ingredients.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I am going to check out some of your older posts. I am loving the layout, the photos, the recipes and your writing.
Speaking of Mario, he claims Parmigianno is the “undisputed king of cheese”—but I say “Pecorino Romano all the way!” The tang is perfect, for this dish in particular. I used to eat this a few times a week when I was a poor grad student. Who says students don’t eat well????
Oh, we’re all about black pepper! That’s from living through our mother’s black pepper regime about 10 years ago. Black pepper is the COOLEST! Ha.
Hmm, I admit I don’t really know the difference in taste between Parmiggiano-Reggiano and Pecorino. Should do a side-by-side tasting.
But hey, you guys didn’t make the pasta yourself?!
I totally agree about the spices. I love cheeses and go to the Hill in St. Louis often to get fresh cheeses. I love to make this pasta dish - thanks for sharing. It looks amazing.
I’m making this tonight. It’s my chicken soup for the Italian soul. It cures whatever ails you. It’s the best food on earth.
I agree about the pepper, but I’m a pecorino romano purist. It has to be pecorino romano! Come on! My Roman Gay Mafia is gonna come after you and slap you with gloves!
Don’t you HATE when places make it with CREAM? It drives me bananas. A place here in Montpellier makes it like alfredo, and at the end cracks a raw egg on top. It’s disgusting.
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