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Bucatini cacio e pepe

Bucatini cacio e pepe is amongst the most famous Italian recipes, along with Parmigiana di Melanzane and Gnocchi alla sorrentina. It consists of a pasta dish made with cheese and pepper, as the name says.

bucatini cacio e pepe

The dish comes from Rome and, as the ingredients are easy to conserve for long periods of time, it was commonly known among shepherds who had to move around with their herds without a fixed place to stay.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Making bucatini cacio e pepe requires only 4 ingredients and a short time to cook. While it’s not the easiest recipe to make, once you master the technique, making it will be as easy as enjoying it.
  • The recipe does not require oil or butter, leaving the pecorino as the only fatty ingredient in it. This cacio e pepe recipe is creamy by itself.
  • In around 20 minutes, you will have a traditional Italian dish that will make you feel like in Italy.

Ingredients

The beauty of the bucatini cacio e pepe is the simplicity of its ingredients. Besides pepper and cheese, you’ll only need pasta and its cooking water! The delicious creaminess of the recipe comes from the grated pecorino cheese mixed with starchy water.

  • Bucatini – we love using it for this recipe because of its thickness and the small hole running through that gets filled with the sauce.
  • Pecorino cheese – do not buy already grated cheese, but opt for a fresh block of cheese that you’ll grate when cooking.
  • Pepper – use fresh ground pepper. It is a key element of the recipe and its freshness is an absolute must.
  • Reserved pasta water – you will need cooking water to mix with the pecorino, so remember to save all of it after cooking the pasta.

The authentic cacio e pepe recipe does not require butter, oil, or parmesan.

Recipe step by step

Bucatini cacio e pepe requires very few ingredients, but it might actually be tricky to properly make it as you need to make a lump-free creamy texture for the sauce with only pecorino and water. For this reason, following the instructions is necessary.

boiling pasta & toasting pepper for bucatini cacio e pepe

As a first step, boil the water for the bucatini. As we need very starchy cooking water, use half (or even less) of the usual amount you would use to cook pasta.

Once boiling, cook the pasta. Add some salt to the cooking water, but not too much, as pecorino is quite salty.

In the meantime, in a pan, toast ground pepper for 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat. Be careful not to overcook the pepper.

grate pecorino cheese and pour water in the pan when pepper is toasting

Remember to cook the pasta a few minutes below the recommended cooking time. This is important, as it will continue to cook later in the pan. Once this is done, drain the bucatini and save all the cooking water.

After 2-3 minutes of toasting peppers, add â…” of the pasta cooking water of the recipe to the pan.

In the meantime, add half of the grated pecorino romano to a bowl.

add the spaghetti to the pan and aisde pour a ladle of water in the pecorino bowl

As bucatini won’t be fully cooked, add it to the pan with pepper and water, mix well, and let them cook for a couple of minutes. Add a bit more water if the pan is dry.

In the meantime, add the remaining â…“ of the required pasta cooking water to the bowl where you grated the pecorino and start mixing. Keep mixing until you have a creamy texture without lumps.

Once it is done, add almost all the remaining cheese and mix again to form a cream. Add more cooking water if necessary.

add the pecorino mix to the spaghetti and mix

After you have your creamy sauce, add it to the pan with the remaining pecorino cheese, take the pan off the heat and mix extremely well.

Once done, you will be ready to serve your delicious bucatini cacio e pepe.

Variations

As the authentic bucatini cacio e pepe does not contain any additional ingredient than starchy cooking water (along with pecorino cheese and pepper), offering variations is not appropriate.

Among the suggested variations you find online, plenty of people suggest replacing pecorino cheese with parmesan cheese. Pecorino romano is a Roman cheese while parmesan originates from Parma. While you won’t be making a traditional Roman cacio e pepe, if you prefer a milder flavor, go ahead.

Other ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables, bacon, and truffle, will completely change the flavors of the dish.

Pasta-wise, you can replace bucatini with spaghetti or tonnarelli. The latter is not widely available outside of Italy, so spaghetti and bucatini are recommended and readily available choices.

Tips

  • One of the common complaints about bucatini cacio e pepe is that it is too salty. As pecorino cheese is very salty by itself, play it safe with the amount of salt in the pasta cooking water if you want to reduce the overall saltiness of the dish.
  • Toasting fresh pepper is an essential step for this dish. Do not toast for too long.
  • When boiling water for the pasta, add less water than you usually would. This way, you will have much more starchy cooking water, which is essential for the success of the bucatini cacio e pepe recipe.
  • When stirring the pecorino with the starchy water you put aside, do not get discouraged if the cheese is clumpy. The more you mix, the more it will emulsify. Adding just a bit more cooking water might also help.

FAQs

Can I use parmesan?

If you prefer a milder taste, it is possible to create a similar cream also with parmesan, but remember that the original cacio e pepe does not have any parmesan.

Can I use pre-grated cheese?

No, use a fresh block of cheese and grate it. This is essential to maximize the flavor and the success of the recipe.

How do I avoid pecorino cream from clumping?

Make sure you use a grater with an option to grate the cheese as finely as possible. Do not buy already grated cheese, but opt for a fresh block of cheese. Let the cooking water cool a bit before mixing it in the pecorino. Follow the instructions and don’t add all the cheese at once. Start with half and only when you have a creamy texture, add the rest.

How long does it last?

We recommend eating bucatini cacio e pepe right after cooking it to avoid for the pasta to become sticky. If you need to store it, place it in an airtight container for max. a couple of days.



bucatini cacio e pepe

Bucatini cacio e pepe

Bucatini cacio e pepe is classic dish from Rome. With only a few ingredients, it's rich in flavors and taste.
5 from 13 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 529 kcal

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Pan
  • Grater
  • Bowl

Ingredients
 
 

  • 360 grams bucatini
  • 1 tbs black pepper freshly ground
  • 200 grams Pecorino romano grated
  • 3 ladles pasta cooking water or more if needed

Instructions
 

  • Bring water to a boil. To make sure the cooking water will be very starchy, use half, or even less, of the amount of water you would normally use for cooking bucatini.
  • In the meantime, add half of the grated Pecorino romano in a bowl.
  • When the water is boiling, add some salt to the water. Then add bucatini and cook very much al dente, leaving them a bit raw.
  • When the bucatini are ready, drain them over a large bowl to save all the cooking water. Set the bucatini aside.
  • Toast ground black pepper on a large pan over medium-low heat. Then add â…” of the pasta cooking water to the pan.
  • Add the bucatini into the pan with the pepper and water to finish cooking them. This will take only a few minutes. Mix the well and add some more cooking water if the pan is too dry.
  • In the meantime, add one ladle of the cooking water into the bowl of Pecorino romano and whisk well to create a cream. If needed, add a bit more cooking water.
  • Once you have a creamy texture, whisk in the rest of the Pecorino (save a small amount). Finally, if needed, add more cooking water to create a creamy texture without lumps.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, add the cream into the pan, take off the heat and mix extremely well. Then add the remaining small amount of Pecorino, mix, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • As pecorino cheese is very salty by itself, play it safe with the amount of salt in the pasta cooking water.
  • Do not toast for too long. A couple of minutes is ok.
  • When boiling water for the pasta, add less water than you usually would. 
  • When stirring the pecorino with the starchy water you put aside, do not get discouraged if the cheese is clumpy. The more you mix, the more it will emulsify. Adding just a bit more cooking water might also help.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 28gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 799mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 210IUCalcium: 553mgIron: 2mg

Caution

Nutritional information shall not be used for medical reasons.

Keyword pasta cacio e pepe, the best cacio e pepe recipe
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