A classic Roman dish, and possibly the easiest pasta dish to prepare and cook. Cacio e pepe means cheese and black pepper, how much simpler can it get! Let's get down to the ingredients and preparation. Do note that use only the freshest ingredients you can get for this dish. Pre-cracked black pepper and pre-grated cheese just won't make the cut.
Cacio E Pepe (Serves 1, 20 minutes)
Ingredients:
A bunch of spaghetti, enough for 1 serving
Black peppercorns
A block of pecorino romano cheese (parmeggiano reggiano is a good substitute)
Extra virgin olive oil
Other things you will need:
A deep pot, half filled with water
5 teaspoons of salt
A timer
Cheese grater
Ladle
Steps:
1. Add 5 teaspoons of salt to a deep pot, half filled with water. Bring it to boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat up a pan to toast the black peppercorns to get the best aroma out of them. After toasting for about 3 minutes on high heat, remove from the pan and crack them using a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, you can put them into a sturdy bowl and crack them using the end of a knife's handle.
3. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and set the timer according to the instructions on the packaging.
4. While the spaghetti is cooking, grate the cheese. A couple of handfuls will be enough, but it will also depend on personal preference.
5. Heat up a pan, add in the cracked black pepper and a good lug of extra virgin oil. Add a ladle or two of the water from the pasta pot. Allow the liquid to reduce.
6. Before draining the pasta, save 2 ladles of the cooking water from the pasta in case there's not enough sauce.
7. Add the pasta to the pan with the black pepper and oil, toss it gently to ensure that each strand is well coated. Turn the heat off and add in the cheese. Mix the cheese in and continue to stir. Add more cheese till the sauce becomes creamy.
8. Top it off with more grated cheese and some cracked black pepper. Eat it on its own, serve it with a glass of wine, or even a pint a ice-cold beer.
9. Enjoy
