Cacio e pepe (Italian:[ˈkaːtʃoepˈpeːpe]) is a pasta dish typical of the Lazio region of Italy.[1][2]Cacio e pepe means 'cheese and pepper' in several central Italian dialects. In keeping with its name, the dish contains grated pecorino romano and black pepper, together with tonnarelli[3] or spaghetti.[2] The origins of the dish are believed to be that "Shepherds from the pastoral communities of Lazio, Abruzzo, Tuscany and Umbria created cacio e pepe in the 18th or 19th century".[4] All the ingredients keep well for a long time, which made the dish practical for shepherds without fixed abode. Rough-surfaced pasta is recommended to make the sauce adhere well.
Preparation
The pasta is prepared in boiling salted water as usual; it is then poured into the grated pecorino mixed with black pepper, with a little of the hot, starchy, cooking water. The heat melts the cheese, and the starches in the water help bind the pepper and cheese to the pasta.[5]
See also
Media related to Cacio e pepe at Wikimedia Commons
^"Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe Ricetta Originale Romana" [Spaghetti cacio e pepe – the original Roman recipe]. The Foodellers (in Italian). Retrieved 17 October 2019. There is an English translation, but it lacks important tips on getting this deceptively simple dish right. Google Translate works well.