Proper Cacio e Pepe with Toasted Peppercorns

⏱ 25 min · Serves 2

Just pasta, pecorino and black pepper — but done right, it turns into a glossy, peppery cream that clings to every strand. The trick is toasting the pepper and cooling the pasta water before the cheese goes in.

Per serving: 625 kcal · 28.0g protein · 73.0g carbs · 24.0g fat

Ingredients

• 200g tonnarelli, spaghetti or bucatini
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 110g Pecorino Romano, finely grated (plus extra to serve)
• 1 tsp fine salt, for the pasta water
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for insurance)

Method

1. Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil with 1 tsp fine salt — keep it deliberately low on water so it becomes extra starchy.
2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a mortar or under the base of a pan. Toast them in a wide dry frying pan over medium heat for 40–60 seconds until fragrant, then add a ladle of the hot water and let it bubble to a syrupy pepper broth. Take off the heat.
3. Cook the pasta until 1 minute short of al dente, stirring often. Scoop out 300ml of the cloudy water before draining.
4. In a bowl, mix the grated pecorino with about 60ml of the pasta water that has cooled for a minute or two (too hot and it will clump). Stir to a thick, smooth paste, like loose icing.
5. Add the drained pasta and the butter, if using, to the pepper pan off the heat. Toss with a splash more pasta water for 30 seconds so it stops steaming violently.
6. Pour in the cheese paste and toss hard, adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time, until a shiny sauce coats the pasta. If it tightens, another splash of water and more tossing brings it back.
7. Serve at once in warm bowls with extra pecorino and a final crack of pepper.