Cacio e Pepe

The four ingredient wonder

what you need:

1 Ib bucatini (ideally fresh)

~1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground using a peppermill

~1 cup finely grated pecorino romano, plus more as needed and for sprinkling \

2 tbsp unsalted butter

what you do:

*a note before you start. this recipe has only four ingredients so the key to making it extra tasty is in the technique and quality of ingredients. I recommend not using pre-ground pepper. the flavor, to put simply, will be dull. grate the pecorino romano yourself using the smallest setting on your box grater. this is key to achieving an even sauce with perfectly melted cheese. and lastly, freshly pasta is best because I find it makes your pasta water even starchier which also helps to achieve a silky, glossy sauce. Okay, let’s cook.

Boil a pot of salted water. If you are unsure if you’ve added enough salt, taste the water. You should be able to taste the salt. Once boiling, add your bucatini and cook until just under al dente.

In the mean time, melt your butter in a sautoir or saute pan (big enough to hold your pasta). Freshly crack your black pepper into the butter. Eyeball until you achieve ~1 tsp, though a bit more or less is not a huge deal as you can taste and adjust. If your butter starts to foam and brown, add a spoonful or two of the pasta water and turn down the heat until you are ready to add your bucatini.

Once your bucatini is ready (cooked until just under al dente), use tongs to transfer directly from the water into the butter pepper mixture. Turn off the heat and swirl your pan to coat the pasta and begin to form your sauce. Sprinkle ~1/4 cup of the pecorino romano into the pasta, swirling and using your tongs to stir. The cheese will act as a binder, thickening the sauce, while the pasta water will help to thin and loosen it. Add more pasta water, then another ~1/4 cup of cheese while continuing to stir, and repeat (alternating between cheese and water) until you have a luscious, glossy cacio e pepe coating. You may not use all of the cheese. Remember that the pecorino romano and pasta water are both salty, so taste as you go. If the pasta is beginning to taste too salty, stop adding the pasta water and instead use tap water.

Serve immediately, with more pecorino romano on top as desired.