Cacio e Pepe – Italian pasta cheese and pepper

Cook Time 12 Minutes – TotalTime 12 Minutes

Cacio e Pepe in Italian means cheese and pepper. It is a very simple to make and very good Italian pasta dish. It originated in Rome and has spread all over the world. 

When I was in Italy, a long time ago, I saw it on menus but never got around to trying it. I recently ran across it on the internet and had to give it a go. It is the epitome of quick and easy. And, it is real good. It is now among our favorites for a pasta side dish. Gammy stays gluten free and Paleo. So, she has it with spirilzed zucchini.

Ingredients

For 2 servings

• 1/2 pound pasta – i like to use a string type like linguini or fehttuchini but any shape will work
• salt
• Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

The Cacio e Pepe How to

First put a pot of lightly salted water on for the pasta. Add the pasta. When the pasta starts to soften gently grab it with tongs and swirl it down into the water. I’m going with Fettuccini tonight. But, any pasta works just fine. 

While the pasta is doing it’s thing get your extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and black pepper standing by.

Don’t use the pre grated parmesan. It has stuff added to it to prevent it from caking up in the container. That prevents the cheese from clinging to the pasta when it melts. You could grate a batch of the parmesan while the pasta is cooking or you could just grate it right on to the pasta when it’s done cooking and out of the water.

When the pasta is done al dente drain all but about a tablespoon of the water out of the pot. The starch in the remaining water will help the cheese and the pepper melt and cling to the pasta.

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on to the pasta. Then put in half of the cheese and pepper. Stir it up getting the cheese and pepper all over the pasta.

Then drizzle a little more olive oil and add the rest of the cheese and pepper.

We had ours with some pollo e pomodoro (chicken fillets sautéed in a skillet then marinara sauce added and finished cooking in the sauce). And some of Poppop’s easy homemade bread. And some Chianti. Of course.

Bon Appetit!