Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Ingredients

• Pecorino Romano DOP: 200g
• Black Pepper: 2 tablespoons, medium grind
• Pasta: 320g
• Water: 1.5l
• Salt: Minimal, adjust based on pecorino's saltiness

Steps

1. Grind Black Pepper

   • Use a mortar and pestle or a pepper grinder set to medium coarseness.

2. Cook Pasta for 6 minutes

   • Boil pasta in half the usual amount of water (0.5 liters per 100g of pasta).
   • Do not add much salt, considering the saltiness of pecorino.

3. Toast Black Pepper

   • In a pan, toast the ground pepper until aromatic. Do not overheat or burn.
   • Add 3 ladles of pasta cooking water to the pan and reduce.

4. Transfer Pasta

   • Halfway through cooking, transfer pasta to the pan with pepper.
   • Add 1-2 ladles of cooking water and stir often.

5. Prepare Pecorino Cream

   • Mix pecorino with cooking water at a 2:1 ratio (200g pecorino to 100g water).
   • Ensure water temperature does not exceed 60°C to avoid melting.
   • Stir to achieve a ricotta-like consistency.

6. Combine and Finish

   • Once pasta is cooked and the water has evaporated, remove the pan from heat.
   • Add pecorino cream to pasta.
   • Mix for 3 minutes thoroughly to form a smooth sauce.

7. Serve

   • Plate the pasta and finish with a sprinkling of pecorino.
   • Serve immediately.

Fool proof technique

• Spaghetti: 224g
• Parmegiano: 100g
• Pecorino: 150g
• Olive oil: 15g
• Corn strach: 10g
• Water: 150g

1. In a pan, mix water and corn starch and disolve.
2. Bring to medium heat, no simmer. When it's viscous, you're done.
3. Add cheeses to mixing bowl. Pour corn starch mixture and oil and pepper on it and mix well.
4. Mix a hand blender until you get a stable emulsion.

Use this cream in a pan with a bit of pasta water, add the pasta, mix well, heat to low.