Cacio e Pepe is a classic Roman dish, celebrated for its simplicity and the difficult technique required to achieve a creamy, emulsified sauce using only three ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and starchy pasta water.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
5 minutes	15 minutes	2

Part A: Ingredients

• Pasta: 7 oz (200g) Tonnarelli or Spaghetti (long, thick pasta).
• Cheese: 1.5 cups Pecorino Romano Cheese, freshly grated (must be good quality).
• Pepper: 2 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns.
• Liquid: Salt for boiling water.

Part B: Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Reserve Water

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add only a small amount of salt—the Pecorino is already very salty.
2. Cook the Tonnarelli/Spaghetti until it is very al dente (about 2 minutes less than the package directions).
3. Crucial Step: Before draining, scoop out at least 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set it aside immediately.

Step 2: Toast and Crush the Pepper

1. While the pasta cooks, lightly toast the whole black peppercorns in a dry skillet (large enough to hold the pasta later) over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
2. Crush the peppercorns coarsely using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan.
3. Return $3/4$ of the crushed pepper to the skillet. Add $1/4$ cup of the reserved pasta water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Step 3: Create the Emulsion (The Creamy Sauce)

1. Remove the skillet from the heat entirely. Add the Pecorino Romano cheese to a bowl and slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup of the reserved hot starchy water until you form a thick, smooth, lump-free paste. (The high starch content prevents the cheese from clumping.)
2. Add the remaining crushed pepper to the bowl with the cheese paste.

Step 4: Combine and Finish

1. Return the drained, al dente pasta to the pepper water in the skillet. Toss briefly over medium-low heat.
2. Working quickly off the heat: Pour the cheese/pepper paste over the pasta in the skillet. Toss rapidly and vigorously with tongs, adding a tablespoon of hot reserved pasta water at a time, until the sauce coats the pasta evenly in a thick, creamy, glossy emulsion.

Step 5: Serve

• Serve immediately, twirling the pasta into warm bowls. Garnish with a final sprinkle of the reserved crushed pepper and grated Pecorino.