Pink Cacio e Pepe
By OcadoLife
Published on 06 March 2026
A playful twist on the classic, this Pink Cacio e Pepe from OcadoLife food editor Lauren Hoffman combines nutty comté and zesty lemon with fragrant pink peppercorns. It’s delicious served with a peppery green salad alongside. For more speedy pasta dishes, search for Lauren’s Tomato Martini Pasta and Herby Orecchiette with Prawns online. Time and servings
20 minsTotal time
2Servings
5 minsPrep time
15 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 150g mafalde, bucatini or spaghetti
- 2 tsp pink peppercorns
- 1 knob salted butter
- 40g comté, finely grated
- 60g parmesan, finely grated
- ½ lemon, zested, plus 1 tsp juice
Method
Step 1
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to pack instructions.Step 2
Toast the pink peppercorns in a dry pan for 1 min until aromatic. Crush using a pestle and mortar.Step 3
Working quickly, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the water. Melt the butter in the pan over low heat with 1-2 tbsp pasta water. Tip in the pasta, toss briefly to coat, then turn off the heat. Add the cheeses with another spoonful of pasta water; toss, adding more water as needed, until emulsified and silky. Toss through the crushed peppercorns, lemon zest and juice, then serve immediately.