Von’s Cacio E Pepe Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Position an oven rack in the highest third of the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside. If using a pizza steel or cast-iron, preheat similarly. Remove dough from fridge at least 30 minutes prior if chilled so it relaxes.

Dust a work surface lightly with the all-purpose flour. Gently press and stretch the room-temperature dough into a roughly 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim (about 1/2 inch) for the crust. Avoid overworking; use gravity and your fingers to coax dough outward for a thin center.

If using a peel or inverted baking sheet, dust it with a little flour or semolina to prevent sticking. Lightly brush the underside of the shaped dough with 1/2 tbs olive oil to encourage browning and to help transfer if using a peel.

Prepare cheese blend

In a medium bowl combine grated Pecorino Romano, grated Parmesan, shredded fontina and half of the shredded mozzarella. Stir gently to make an even blend. Reserve the remaining mozzarella and the ricotta for dollops and final melting variation.

Warm the black garlic paste slightly (you can microwave for 5–8 seconds or rub between fingers) so it spreads easily. In a small bowl combine the black garlic paste with the freshly cracked Tellicherry black pepper and the fine sea salt; mix to form a loose, spreadable 'pepper-garlic' slurry.

Lightly brush the center of the stretched dough with the black garlic-pepper slurry in a thin, even layer, leaving the rim free. Sprinkle the mixed hard cheese blend evenly over the center to create a uniform cheese bed. Dot the surface with small spoonfuls (approx 1-tsp each) of ricotta, spacing them evenly (about 6–8 dollops). Scatter the remaining mozzarella pieces across the top to promote melty pockets.

Finish by giving the assembled pizza a final very generous grind of Tellicherry black pepper (use the remaining 1/2–1 tsp as desired) — Cacio e Pepe is dominated by pepper so be unapologetic here.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated stone or baking surface. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 7–10 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the cheese is deeply melted, bubbling, with some golden-brown and blistered spots on the crust and cheese. Baking time will vary with oven and stone; watch for strong bubbling and crust color.

If you prefer a slightly more blistered top, finish with a 30–60 second burst of broiler heat, watching closely to avoid burning the cheese.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest on the stone or rack for 1 minute. Using a spoon, drizzle the hot honey in a thin, even zigzag across the hot pizza (about 1.5–2 tbs). Sprinkle Aleppo pepper over the pizza for gentle fruity heat (about 1/2 tsp).

Scatter the thinly sliced chives across the pizza and finish with a final light grind of Tellicherry black pepper (about 1/4 tsp). Let the pizza sit 1–2 minutes for flavors to settle, then slice and serve immediately.