Cacio E Pepe

Step1: Spaghetti

1. In a pot bring water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt.

2. Once boiling add in 100 grams of spaghetti (you may substitute for any pasta of your liking)

3. Cook for 7-8 minutes until aldenté (an Italian term meaning firm to bite or slightly undercooked)

Step 2: Sauce

1. In a mortar & pestle, take 2 tablespoons of fresh black peppercorns and grind them down to the consistency of cracked pepper.

2. In a sauté pan toast the peppercorns on medium high heat until fragrant or until you’re able to see a little smoke. (but be careful not to burn it) Constantly move the peppercorns as you toast them.

3. Add about ¼ of pasta water that you reserved from cooking the pasta. It should sizzle then bring the water to a light simmer.

4. Add in ¼ cup of grated Grana Padano cheese. (Traditionally Pecorino Romano cheese is used, but use what is available to you)

5. Once the cheese begins to melt, give it a good whisk to avoid the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Instructions: 

1. Immediately add in 100g of spaghetti.

2. The pasta water, and cheese should’ve emulsified (bonded) at this point. Turn off your burner and toss the pasta until the sauce has completely coated the spaghetti noodles.

3. Using a carving fork, (tweezers or tongs if you don’t own one) twist your pasta and coat the spaghetti with the sauce from the bottom of the pan, and place into desired serving bowl.

4. This step is optional and not recommended if you’re going for a more authentic cacio e pepe, but take a lemon and using a micro plane (grater works too) zest lemon to finish the dish. It will give the dish a nice pop of acid to cut through the flavor of cheese and black pepper.

5. Immediately eat while its hot, the flavor of this dish changes as the temperature goes down.