This classic, three ingredient bucatini cacio e pepe recipe is as authentic and foolproof as it gets (adapted from my neighborhood restaurant and Anthony Bourdain's favorite in Rome)
2cupsPecorino Romanofreshly grated, additional for garnish
Instructions
Bring three quarters of a gallon of water to boil (roughly 2 liters, i.e. 10 cups of water) with salt. Add pasta and cook pasta slightly under the time mentioned on the package (typically about 8 to 9 minutes for al dente texture)
As pasta cooks, grate Pecorino Romano (using the smallest hole on your grater). Set aside in a large bowl.
Heat a skillet on medium heat, and add a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper to toast it.
Use a ladle and scoop out some of the pasta water into the skillet with the pepper. The water will bubble, and turn somewhat white due to the starch (but this is good, because it'll help the cheese and pepper bind to your pasta!)
Add a quarter cup of the pasta water to the bowl with the cheese, ideally one tablespoon at a time and whisk it together using a fork to create a thick paste. Add cautiously since you don't want it to get runny (but don't fret if it does, just add more cheese!) Unconventional, tech-savvy tip: Add the cheese and pepper to a food processor along with a tablespoon of cold water and pulse until forms a "lumpy" mixture (or use a fork). Then, use hot water to dilute and bring it to the right saucy consistency.
Remove the pasta and add it to the skillet with the pepper and water, and toss to coat. Add half a cup of pasta water to the skillet. If the water gets absorbed, add a bit more as well as fresh cracked pepper and keep mixing. The starchy pasta water is critical for binding with the cheese to create a smooth sauce!
Turn the heat off, and add the cheesy paste to the skillet with the pasta. Toss evenly until it's nicely combined, and smooth (the cheese should not be chunky).
Serve hot with a grind of coarse black pepper and a sprinkle of cheese!
Video
Notes
Use the right amount of water! Typically, I am not picky about the amount of water to cook pasta. But the key to make the sauce perfect is getting the optimal starch content in the pasta water. So, you need to measure your water (at least the first couple of times, until you know how much it ballparks to!)
Use a long, thick and hollow pasta if possible - long pasta helps coat the cheese sauce evenly and keeps it delicious!
Once you add the cheese, if the pasta feels like it's clumpy, you can add some of the water you reserved to make sure that the pasta is coated evenly.
Unconventional, but tech-savvy tip: Okay, don't come after me, but if you don't want to figure out how to toss and coat evenly, a trick I've found is to take a small food processor and add the cheese and some pasta water to it and give it a good whizz. This makes a super creamy paste. Then, add that to the hot skillet with the pasta, pasta water and pepper.