Cacio e Pepe

An original, easy recipe from Shop by Aisle.

✨ An original recipe written by AI — not kitchen-tested, so trust your taste on seasoning & timing.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti or tonnarelli pasta
• 2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water before draining.
2. While pasta cooks, toast the cracked black pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add half a cup of pasta water and let it simmer for 30 seconds.
3. Add the drained pasta and butter to the skillet, tossing everything together over medium-low heat and adding small splashes of pasta water as needed to keep things loose.
4. Remove the pan from heat, wait 30 seconds to let it cool slightly, then gradually sprinkle in both cheeses while tossing constantly so they melt into a creamy coating rather than clumping.
5. Keep tossing and adding tiny splashes of pasta water until the sauce is silky and coats every strand evenly, then taste and adjust pepper if desired.
6. Plate immediately and finish each bowl with an extra pinch of cracked pepper and a light dusting of Pecorino.

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