Cacio e pepe

A plate of cacio e pepe
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Lazio
Main ingredients	Pasta, Pecorino Romano, black pepper
Media: Cacio e pepe

Cacio e pepe (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkaːtʃo e pˈpeːpe]) is a pasta dish from the cuisine of the city of Rome.^[1] Cacio e pepe means "cheese and pepper" in several central Italian dialects. In keeping with its name, the dish contains grated Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper, together with spaghetti,^[1] or traditionally tonnarelli.^[2] All the ingredients keep well for a long time, which made the dish practical for shepherds without fixed abode. Rough-surfaced pasta is recommended, to make the sauce adhere well.

Preparation

The pasta is prepared in boiling salted water as usual; it is then poured into the grated pecorino mixed with black pepper, with a little of the hot, starchy, cooking water. The heat melts the cheese, and the starches in the water help bind the pepper and cheese to the pasta.^[3]

Variants

While not traditional to cacio e pepe, seafood or bacon may be added, and other shapes of pasta such as rigatoni, always made with a rough surface, may be used.^[3] Pecorino Romano cheese is also sometimes substituted with parmesan cheese.