Three ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano, black pepper. No olive oil, no butter, no cream. The question the dish asks you is whether you can make something from almost nothing, and the answer is an emulsion.
The failure mode is always the same: the cheese seizes into clumps. It happens when the pan is too hot, or when the pasta water does not have enough starch, or when you stop tossing. The fix is to add pasta water tablespoon by tablespoon, off the heat, and to keep moving. It comes together in about thirty seconds when you have it right.
We use a small amount of Parmigiano alongside the Pecorino. The strict Roman version uses only Pecorino. We find the blend more consistent in practice.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Coarsely crack the black pepper using a mortar or the side of a heavy pan: you want irregular pieces, not fine powder. Toast the cracked pepper in a dry wide pan over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove half and set aside. Leave the rest in the pan.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with about half your usual amount of salt. The cheese will provide the rest.
While the pasta cooks, combine the Pecorino and Parmigiano in a bowl. Add 4 tbsp of hot pasta water and stir vigorously into a thick, smooth paste.
Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the toasted pepper in the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Cook the spaghetti for 9 minutes. Drain, reserving at least 2 cups of pasta water. Transfer to the pepper pan. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute.
Remove from heat entirely. Wait 30 seconds. Pour the cheese paste over the pasta. Toss constantly, adding hot pasta water one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is silky and coats every strand. Work quickly: it comes together in 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the reserved cracked pepper and toss once more. Serve immediately.
You made Cacio e Pepe. Time to eat.
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Toast the pepper in a dry pan before you start. Thirty seconds over medium heat opens the volatile compounds and makes the pepper taste like itself rather than just hot. The difference in the finished dish is noticeable.
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