A simple classic and cheap Italian recipe that uses sheep's milk cheese and pasta water to create a decadent and creamy pasta dish flavored with black pepper.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bucatini cacio e pepe, cacio e pepe, cacio e pepe bucatini, gluten free cacio e pepe
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperplus more for serving
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
1heaping cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese70g
Instructions
Bring a small to medium pot of water to a boil. Salt once boiling then add the bucatini and cook until al dente — about 1-2 minutes under stated cooking time.
Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat with the black pepper. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the pasta to the skillet along with the butter. Let the butter melt and gently whisk the mixture together.
Strain pasta, reserving an extra cup of the pasta water, then add it to the skillet.
Add the grated cheese on top and toss everything together until well combined and creamy adding more pasta cooking liquid if desired to reach your preferred consistency.
Serve with extra ground pepper.
Notes
-Using a smaller than normal pot or skillet to cook the pasta in is important to concentrate the starch. See the post above for details.-The weight of a cup of grated cheese can vary immensely depending on the size of the grate. The cheese should be finely grated for this recipe and weight around 70g.