Sunday Pasta™: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Black Pepper)
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Meet my friends, Cacio and Pepe. Cacio is pale white, from the countryside outside of Rome; Pepe is black as night, of mysterious origins. Their relationship is still very taboo in most of America. As a matter of fact, I’ve never seen them together outside of New York (where of course, there is even a restaurant named in their honor). If they ever were to make it down South, who knows what the reaction would be… Shock, disgust, outrage! Oh my!
This should come as no surprise because one in the relationship is very salty and the other very peppery, and together, they can be downright explosive — a real shock to the senses to the unfamiliar. Now in Rome, where minds are more open, Cacio and Pepe can be found on almost every corner, like Dolce & Gabbana. And at night they come out, like Cabiria, usually with their strung out friends Spaghetti and Tonnarelli. They guarantee to put their regulars to sleep, happy and satisfied. So simple, so cheap, so ancient, yet so misunderstood. We can only hope that someday Cacio and Pepe will be accepted as normal in America.
Ingredients
Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the spaghetti. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add a light coating of olive oil, and heat slightly. While the pasta is cooking, take 3-4 tablespoons of the cooking water and mix it into the Pecorino, creating a creamy mixture and then add the pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit more of the cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the skillet, over low heat, making sure not to fry the spaghetti, but rather only to coat it with oil. Mix in the cheese and pepper, and add a bit more of the reserved cooking water, as necessary, until a creamy consistency is achieved. Serve immediately. Add more pepper to taste. (Words of caution: You may need to practice a couple of times to get the right mixture and consistency. Also, Caveat Cheese Emptor: the word cacio is used for cheese in Lazio, so be aware that the brand Cacio de Roma is not what you need, despite its name. Use a good Pecorino Romano, freshly grated.)
Check out our wine pairings for this dish, as well as our About post on the origin behind it.
Buon Appetito!
Ed Garrubbo, Editor
