Cacio e pepe
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| Course | Primo (Italian course) |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Lazio |
| Main ingredients | Tonnarelli or spaghetti, pecorino romano, black pepper |
Cacio e pepe (Italian: [ˈkaːtʃo e pˈpeːpe]) is a pasta dish typical of the Lazio region of Italy.[1][2] The dish contains grated pecorino romano and black pepper with tonnarelli[3] or spaghetti.[2] A common story is that shepherds from the pastoral communities of Lazio, Abruzzo, Tuscany, and Umbria created cacio e pepe in the 18th or 19th century. It is likely that black pepper was added to the dish much later, as it was expensive and not readily available to shepherds at the time.[4] Achieving a smooth and creamy texture during preparation requires special attention, as the cheese is prone to becoming lumpy.
Etymology
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Cacio e pepe means 'cheese and pepper' in several central Italian dialects.
Preparation
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The pasta is prepared in boiling salted water as usual; it is then poured into the grated pecorino romano 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]
Despite the apparent simplicity of cacio e pepe, pecorino romano can very easily become lumpy, rather than smooth and creamy. The effect of temperature on cheese proteins and starch concentration has been studied by researchers, who have devised a scientifically reliable way to make the dish.[6][7] Chefs have devised simpler ways to control the temperature without adding starch.[8]
See also
[edit]
Media related to Cacio e pepe at Wikimedia Commons
References
[edit]- ^ "Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti". La Cucina Italiana. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ a b Boni (1930), p. 46
- ^ "Pasta cacio e pepe". Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ Jenn Harris (18 August 2021). "What is cacio e pepe and how did it take over the world?". News Tribune.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Davis, Nicola (29 April 2025). "Physicists find key to perfect pasta – but not how Mamma used to make it". The Guardian.
proteins did not start to clump below 65C. As temperatures increased, higher concentrations of starch were needed to avoid clumps forming and prevent the "mozzarella phase" – where huge wads of cheese appear.
- ^ Bartolucci, Giacomo; Daniel Maria Busiello; Ciarchi, Matteo; Corticelli, Alberto; Ivan Di Terlizzi; Olmeda, Fabrizio; Revignas, Davide; Vincenzo Maria Schimmenti (2024). "Phase behavior of Cacio e Pepe sauce". Physics of Fluids. 37 (4): 044122. arXiv:2501.00536. Bibcode:2025PhFl...37d4122B. doi:10.1063/5.0255841.
- ^ Berrill, Anna (30 September 2025). "How to avoid clumpy cheesy pasta sauces". The Guardian.
Further reading
[edit]- Zanini De Vita, Oretta; Fant, Maureen B. (2013). Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-08243-2.
- Boni, Ada (1983) [1930]. La Cucina Romana (in Italian). Roma: Newton Compton Editori. ISBN 978-8854117815.