HexClassic Cacio e Pepe
What You Need
Ingredients
Preparation
Cacio e Pepe is a classic Roman pasta that pairs sharp, salty Pecorino Romano with a bold kick of fruity black pepper. This version sticks to the essentials, with a touch of lemon zest to enhance the cheese’s natural tang. The key to a silky sauce? Making a cheese paste with pasta water and tossing off the heat to prevent clumping. This technique can take a moment to master, but once you do, you have a velvety cacio e pepe without any added cream or butter.
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Fill a HexClad 8QT/7.5 L Hybrid Stock Pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt.
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Meanwhile, in a HexClad 8"/20cm Hybrid Fry Pan, toast ground pepper over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scrape into small bowl.
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Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. A few minutes before pasta is done cooking, ladle ½ cup of pasta water into a heatproof measuring cup.
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Meanwhile, in a large heatproof bowl, combine cheese and zest. While whisking constantly, gradually stream in reserved pasta water until you have a pourable slurry. Stir in 1 teaspoon of toasted pepper.
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When pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer to a colander; drain well. Remove stock pot from heat and set aside with remaining pasta water in the pot.
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Let pasta cool for about 30 seconds, then add to cheese mixture, stirring vigorously until cheese is melted and pasta is nicely coated in sauce. If needed, gradually add more warm pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the cheese is not completely melted, hold bowl with a kitchen towel over stock pot and continue tossing pasta until cheese is completely melted. Season with more toasted pepper, if desired.
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Divide pasta between two shallow bowls and spoon any sauce in bottom of bowl over top. Garnish with remaining toasted pepper and more pecorino and lemon zest. Serve right away.
NOTES
For the perfect crunchy bites of black pepper, set your HexMill to the coarsest setting.
Pecorino’s signature sharp, salty bite is the backbone of this pasta and the tastiest results come with one that has been aged for 60 days. If you wish to mellow the flavor slightly, you can swap in finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. It also helps to grate the cheese in advance and let it dry out in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
