Spaghetti with Cheese and Pepper (Cacio e Pepe)

It doesnt get much simpler than this. The charm of this dish, typical of Rome, lies in its simplicity, as it requires only 15 minutes and three ingredients: spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan), and pepper. Since the quality of the ingredients is crucial for the final flavor, its important to use whole peppercorns, which you grind or crush just before use.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 5 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 10 minutes
  • Difficulty: 1
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 320 g Pasta, Macaroni, whole grain

  • 150 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

  • 2 teaspoons Spices, pepper, black

Steps

  1. Pour a large amount of water into a pot for cooking the pasta. Place it on the stove and just before the water boils, add salt. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook it 'al dente' or to the tooth.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, finely grate the cheese and crush or grind the pepper.

  3. Place the grated cheese in a large bowl and mix it with the pepper. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving about 200 ml of the cooking water. Transfer the drained pasta to the bowl and pour about 160 ml of the reserved liquid over it. Mix well, and if the pasta seems too dry, add a bit more of the reserved liquid. Continue mixing until the cheese is completely melted and a nice creamy sauce forms. Immediately serve the pasta on plates and enjoy.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 373.21 kcal
  • Fat: 9.49 g
    • Saturated Fat: 5.27 g
  • Carbohydrates: 52.32 g
    • Sugars: 0 g
  • Protein: 21.31 g
  • Fiber: 5.49 g

Advice

You can also add a bit of fat in the form of butter or olive oil to the pasta, which makes the spaghetti even creamier and more flavorful. But thats up to you, as the beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity.