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Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

By GarofaloPublished on 30 May 2022A traditional Italian recipe, well known and loved across the world, Cacio e Pepe combines just three simple ingredients and demonstrates perfectly why the Italians refer to pasta water as ‘liquid gold’. A thicker pasta like Garofalo Spaghettone XXL works perfectly with this easy-to-make, creamy cheese sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, this is a crowd-pleasing recipe that will become a midweek family favourite.Top tip: It’s really important to use the pasta cooking water containing the starch released by the pasta (and not tap water). It is this starch that prevents the proteins in the cheese clotting on contact with the heat to avoid lumps forming in the sauce.
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Time and servings

25 minsTotal time
4Servings
5 minsPrep time
20 minsCooking time

Ingredients

  • 400 g of pasta garofalo spaghettone xxl
  • 200 g of pecorino romano, grated
  • 2 tsp of salt
  • 2 tsp of coarse black pepper

Method

  • Step 1

    Place a large pan of salted water over a high heat to boil.

  • Step 2

    Add the Garofalo Spaghettone XXL to the boiling water and allow to cook for 14 mins, which is 2 mins less than the time indicated on the packet.

  • Step 3

    A good few mins into the pasta cooking time (about 8-10 for Spaghettone), take 2-3 ladles of the starchy pasta water and add it to your grated pecorino romano in a bowl, stir well to melt the cheese and make into a creamy sauce.

  • Step 4

    Add as much coarsely black pepper to the cheese sauce as you like and mix well together.

  • Step 5

    At the right time, drain the pasta and return to the saucepan.

  • Step 6

    Add the cheese and black pepper sauce to the pasta and sauté over a low heat for 1-2 mins until the pasta is cooked through and coated in the creamy cheese sauce.