Spaghetti Recipe

Grate cheeses

Finely grate Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano and combine them in a bowl. Break up any clumps so the cheese is light and able to melt easily into the sauce.

Crack pepper

Toast the whole black peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan for about 1–2 minutes until aromatic. Transfer to a mortar and pestle (or coarse grinder) and crack to a coarse+ texture — some large fragments, some fine. Reserve.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon) so the water tastes like the sea. Add 12 oz (about 340 g) dried spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente — about 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions.

Just before draining, ladle out and reserve 1½ cups of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti, leaving it slightly wet; do not rinse.

While the pasta cooks, heat a wide, deep skillet (large enough to hold the pasta) over medium heat. Add the cracked black pepper and toast for 30–45 seconds to bloom the aroma (if you toasted before, add now to release oils).

Add 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the tablespoon of butter now, if using, and swirl until melted — this helps emulsify the sauce and gives it silkiness.

Reduce heat to low. Add half of the grated cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup total) to the simmering water and whisk or stir vigorously to create a smooth paste. Add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, if the cheese seizes or the mixture is too thick — you want a glossy, creamy consistency that will coat the pasta (total sauce liquid should use about 1 to 1¼ cups of reserved water).

Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss and stir vigorously with tongs (or two forks) and keep the pan on low heat. Add the remaining grated cheese in increments, tossing constantly so the cheese melts into the emulsion rather than clumping. If the sauce looks dry or grainy, add 1–2 tablespoons of reserved water at a time until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Cacio e pepe relies on the salty Pecorino and Parmigiano, so usually no additional salt is needed; add freshly ground black pepper to taste (start with about 1/4–1/2 tsp and increase if desired).

If desired, drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over the tossed pasta for shine. Divide evenly among 4 plates (servings). Top with extra grated Pecorino or Parmigiano and a final crack of black pepper.

Serve immediately. Leftovers will thicken as the sauce cools; reheat gently with a splash of water.