Author: Rebecca Hubbell

PREP TIME 10minutes MINUTES

COOK TIME 15minutes MINUTES

TOTAL TIME 25minutes MINUTES

 Servings 4 people

This Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that’s made with thick pasta, two types of cheeses, and two other easy ingredients! Ready to enjoy in just 25 minutes from start to finish!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb bucatini pasta thick Spaghetti (or vermicelli if preferred)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorn from the peppermill
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves grated
• ▢ 1 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese
• ▢ ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
• ▢ Cracked peppercorn for garnish
• ▢ Shredded Pecorino cheese for garnish

Instructions

• You will want to work quickly to prepare this recipe. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini and cook for 9 minutes. Do not drain the pasta.1 lb bucatini pasta
• Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add cracked pepper to the pan and roast for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, grate the garlic cloves into the pan and stir. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toasting the pepper releases the flavor and aroma of the peppercorn into this dish. This is the traditional way to prepare the dish and will serve as the base of the sauce. The grated garlic melts into the sauce and is a quicker way to cook the garlic.2 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorn, 3 garlic cloves
• Add ½ cup of the pasta water to the frying pan and stir well. The water will boil and steam once poured into the pan.
• Next, grate the pecorino and parmesan cheeses into a bowl. Add ¼ cup of hot pasta water to the cheese and stir. Stir until the cheese is slightly melted and smooth. This will be the creamy sauce the pasta is served in.1 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese, ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• Use tongs to remove the bucatini from the pasta water and add it to the frying pan with the pepper and garlic. Add ½ cup of pasta water and stir. Continue to stir the bucatini for 3 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking during this time and stirring helps to evenly cook it while infusing with the pepper. Turn off the heat but keep the pan on the burner.
• Add the cheese to the pasta. Stir and mix well to melt the cheese and evenly coat the pasta.
• Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional pepper, and pecorino cheese.Fresh chopped parsley, Cracked peppercorn, Shredded Pecorino cheese

Notes

• Work Quickly! This recipe moves quickly so it’s best to be prepared by having your equipment out and ingredients pre-measured.
• Do Not Drain! Do not drain the water from cooking the pasta! That starchy water is used throughout the recipe to complete the creamy, yummy sauce!
• Toast The Pepper! Toasting the pepper is the traditional way to prepare this recipe. Doing so releases the flavor and aroma of the peppercorn into this dish!
• Heat! Heat is one of the most important parts of this recipe! Not enough and the dish won’t turn out how it’s intended to.
• How To Store Leftovers:Since the sauce does tend to thicken up when stored, I find this dish tastes best when enjoyed the same day it’s made. However, we also don’t want leftovers to go to waste! Therefore, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Then eat them up within 3 days!
• Why Is Mine Watery? If your dish turned out watery, then the heat was likely the culprit. When combining the ingredients, you want the right amount of heat in the pasta water and frying pan. Not enough heat and the cheese clumps up, leaving your dish watery!

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 526mg| Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 409mg | Iron: 2mg