Babish's Secret to Perfect Cacio e Pepe
About this recipe
Cacio e Pepe, which translates to 'cheese and pepper,' is a classic Roman pasta dish that relies on just a few simple ingredients. In this video, Andrew Rea, also known as Babish, shares his foolproof method for achieving a creamy, emulsified sauce without the usual pitfalls that can lead to a greasy mess.
Using a blender, Babish demonstrates how to create a smooth sauce that perfectly coats the pasta, making this version of Cacio e Pepe not only easier but also more reliable than traditional methods.
Ingredient notes
- You can use either spaghetti or tonnarelli for this recipe.
- The estimated amount of black peppercorns is for a generous flavor.
Tips from Epicurious’s video
- Cook the pasta in a wide shallow pan with salted water to ensure it gets nice and starchy, which helps with emulsifying the sauce.
- Toast the black peppercorns in butter over low heat to stabilize the emulsion and add flavor without burning the butter.
- While blending the cheese, slowly stream in the reserved pasta cooking water to create a thick sauce that won't break easily.
Good to know
- How long should I cook the pasta?
- Cook the spaghetti or tonnarelli for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- What should I do if the sauce starts to get gloppy after sitting?
- A little splash of hot pasta cooking water should bring the sauce back to life.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Epicurious: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Boil salted water in a wide shallow pan for the pasta.
- 2
Add spaghetti or tonnarelli to the boiling water and cook for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 3
In a separate pan, melt butter over low heat until foamy.
- 4
Add black peppercorns to the butter and toast them gently without browning the butter.
- 5
Grate Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese and place them in a blender.
- 6
Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
- 7
Toss the drained pasta with the butter and toasted peppercorns in the pan.
- 8
While the blender is running, slowly stream in the reserved pasta cooking water until a thick sauce forms.
- 9
Combine the pasta with the creamy sauce from the blender, using tongs to mix well.
- 10
Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated cheese and black pepper.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- Estimated amount of black peppercorns for flavor.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Epicurious’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
Are you Epicurious? Claim this page or ask us to take it down. Your call, always.
