Authentic Cacio e Pepe - The Real Roman Method

Name: Authentic Cacio e Pepe - The Real Roman Method
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 350 g spaghetti, bucatini or tonnarelli (traditional Roman pasta shapes) (- 12 oz); 220 g finely grated Pecorino Romano DOP (- 2 cups); 6-8 g whole black peppercorns (- 1-1 ½ tablespoons, freshly ground (preferably Tellicherry), plus more to taste); 1 ¾ liters water (- 7 ½ cups (use less water than usual to increase starch concentration)); ½ tablespoon coarse salt (- very little, as Pecorino is naturally salty)

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:10min

Authentic Cacio e Pepe is one of the four classic Roman pasta dishes and is made with only three simple ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper and pasta.In Rome, no butter, oil or cream are ever used. The creamy texture of this iconic dish comes only from the perfect balance between finely grated Pecorino Romano and starchy pasta water.In this step-by-step recipe, you will learn the traditional Roman method to make authentic Cacio e Pepe perfectly creamy every time.

Updated at: Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:35:21 GMT