This super quick Bucatini cacio e pepe is a classic Italian recipe that uses only 3 ingredients and will blown you away with its simplicity and flavor. It's a bold no-frills pasta dish ready in less than 15 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Bucatini cacio e pepe
Servings: 4
Calories: 352kcal
Author: Katia
Ingredients
Bucatini
8oz(220 grams)bucatini or spaghetti
Cacio e pepe sauce
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper*
1 ½ cup(150 grams)freshly grated pecorino, plus more to serve if you wish
1 ½ cup(360 ml)starchy pasta water
Instructions
Cook pasta in salty boiling water per packet instructionsminus 3 minutes.
Just a couple of minutes before draining (and not at the beginning of the cooking time), scoop out 1 ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Cacio e pepe
While the pasta is nearly done, place the grated pecorino cheese to a bowl, add 4-5 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and with a spoon stir until well combined (it resembles a paste, not a cream).
Coarsely grind the black pepper, add it to a large skillet over medium heat, and gently toast it for about 1 minute. Thenadd ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and cook for another minute.
Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet, and finish to cook it until al dente. Make sure to have enough pasta water in the skillet, add more if needed, and stir constantly to release more starch and to make the pasta silky and glossy.
Finally, turn the heat off (if the stove retains some heat, move the skillet away). Scatter the pecorino mixture all over it, toss until well combined and creamy, adding more of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta nicely.
Serve immediately with extra grated pecorino cheese if you wish. Enjoy.
Notes
Too much black pepper? Even if black pepper is the star of the show in this recipe, you're welcome to reduce the amount if that suits your liking.How to store bucatini cacio e pepe? It's best eaten immediately, when it's still warm and the sauce is still creamy and velvety. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but the sauce will thicken in the fridge. Reheat the pasta with a splash of water in a non-stick pan set over medium heat.Nutrition facts: the nutrition values are for one portion and are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.