Cacio e Pepe

“Cacio e Pepe” simply translates to “Cheese and Pepper” and the simple combination of these ingredients really lets the pasta noodles shine. You want to make sure to cook the noodles al dente so they have a good amount of chewiness.

This is another classic Frank Prisinzano recipe from his classic East Village restaurant Supper. He makes this recipe frequently on his snapchat and instagram stories but as far as I can find he hasn’t written it down explicitly. The closest is his tumblr post in which he says “make a creamy emulsion with the cheese and the pasta water and finish with the black pepper”. Trying to recreate this method using my own measurements, this recipe is the closest I’ve been able to come.

Frank’s pasta recipes are classic and simple, and I love making them— You can check out some of his other recipes I’ve posted about such as his Pasta with Peas, Broccoli Garlic Spaghetti, and his Short Rib Ragú.

I’ve recently tried making my old recipes using whole grain substitutions and this is one that I think turns out beautifully. The incredibly simple sauce (or lack thereof) is enhanced by the chewier texture of the whole wheat pasta. I get my whole wheat pasta fresh from Russo’s in the East Village, but you can also find some great whole grain pastas online. I particularly like the Sfoglini brand, which you can find in many specialty grocery stores, or online.

You can make this with any long noodle, such as linguini. It’s even better if you can find something with a little texture such as a Bucatini or Mafaldini.

I also updated the measurements for this recipe after watching Stanley Tucci’s CNN series in which he interviews legendary chef Kotaro Noda of Rome’s Bistrot 64. He recommends specifically a blend of 70% Parmesan / 30% Pecornio which I find to be a great measurement to use.