Perfect Cacio e Pepe

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Perfect Cacio e Pepe

Cacio E Pepe on a serving plate

Cook 20 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

  • Salt

  • 1/2 pound (225g) dried spaghetti (see note)

  • 1 teaspoon (4g) cornstarch

  • 1/4 cup (45ml) water

  • 1 teaspoon (4g) coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving

  • 1 packed cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (5 ounces; 140g), plus more for serving

Directions

  1. In a large sauté pan, pasta pot, or Dutch oven, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook, stirring, until al dente (according to your preference or package directions).

  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water to make a slurry. In a small dry saucepan, heat pepper over medium-high heat until fragrant and very lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir starch slurry to combine if settled, then add to saucepan, stirring and swirling, until slurry thickens into a clear, viscous sauce. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine grated cheese with starch gel, stirring to fully combine and form a stiff but smooth paste. Transfer about 1/4 cup pasta water from the cooking pot to the small saucepan, swirling and stirring to pick up any additional starchy gel clinging to the sides, then stir into the cheese paste.

  4. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Let pasta cool slightly for 1 minute, then add to the cheese paste along with about 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, stirring to combine. Continue to add reserved pasta water in 1/4-cup additions until the cheese sauce is creamy and smooth and coats all the pasta in an even, silky glaze; season with additional salt if needed. Serve right away on warmed plates, topping with additional grated cheese and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

This recipe is designed to use 225g of pasta, which is half of a 1-pound package of pasta; if using imported pasta that comes in 500g packages, you can use half of that, which will be 250g, just slightly more than than the American-market pasta products.

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