Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe: The Classic Roman Recipe

Rich cheese, bronze-extruded pasta and freshly ground pepper make spaghetti cacio e pepe the ultimate comfort food. This simple Roman dish depends on the quality of just a few ingredients: spaghetti di Gragnano, Pecorino Romano PDO and whole black peppercorns.

Ingredients for 6 people

• 1 pound spaghetti di Gragnano
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, or more to taste
• 1½ cups Pecorino Romano PDO, freshly grated, to taste

How to make Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

1. Bring a large pot with 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil.
2. Grind the peppercorns very coarsely, preferably crushing them in a mortar with a pestle or in a spice grinder.
3. Warm up a big bowl for serving the pasta. Use some of the pasta water to heat the bowl, if you like.
4. Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Quickly lift it from the pot with tongs, let it drain for an instant, then drop it into the warm bowl.
5. Immediately scatter a cup of the grated cheese and most of the ground pepper on the pasta, and toss quickly. As you mix, sprinkle over a spoonful of hot water from the cooking pot to moisten and amalgamate the pasta and condiments. Add more pepper or cheese to taste.
6. Serve right away, while the spaghetti is very hot.