CACIO E PEPE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine, bucatini or spaghetti
- 4½ cups water
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarse pepper powder freshly ground/cracked
- 2 cloves garlic finely sliced or chopped
- 1 cup pecorino romano freshly grated
Instructions
- BOILING THE PASTA:
- Add the water in a deep saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Add salt and mix well.
- Add the liguine, bucatini or spaghetti.
- Cook till the pasta is al dente. This means that it still has a bit of bite but is not raw. In between keep stirring the pasta gently as we have used less water.
- Remove 2 cups of the starchy water and keep it on the side.
- Drain out the pasta and remaining water into a colander.
- Wipe the saucepan clean.
- Add olive oil and place the pan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and saute it for a few seconds. Don't allow it to burn.
- Add pepper powder and give it a good stir.
- Take the pan off the heat.
PREPARATION OF CACIO E PEPE
- To the saucepan with olive oil, garlic and pepper in it, add the boiled linguine or pasta you have used.
- Add the butter and 1 cup of starchy water.
- Toss well till the butter melts.
- Now add ½ cup more of the starchy water and the grated cheese.
- Toss it well, till the cheese melts and the sauce coats the linguine or pasta.
- If required, can add remaining water little at a time. I added just ¼ cup more.
SERVING CACIO E PEPE
- Serve hot cacio e pepe with extra grated cheese and pepper on top. Or add any vegetable, meat or fresh herbs on top.
Notes
- Use less water so that you get nice starchy water for the sauce.
- Use freshly ground or cracked black pepper.
- Don't over boil the pasta otherwise it will become mushy.
- Toss well with tongs or a spoon when you add the cheese and starchy water.
- Don't skip the butter as that also helps to make the sauce creamy.