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Golden cacio e pepe

Name: Golden cacio e pepe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb tonnarelli or spaghetti; 2 tbsp whole black pepper, coarsely cracked; 1½ cups finely grated Pecorino Romano; Kosher salt

Serves 5 servings

Felix Ortiz2 min readSep 21, 2026

Ready in ~20 min · around 1:46 PM

A home-cook take on cacio e pepe — the version that sticks around our table.

Story

Roman classic 11: the pasta water starch is the only binder you need — toss off heat so cheese stays creamy.

Recipe

Pantry preview

1 lb tonnarelli or spaghetti
2 tbsp whole black pepper, coarsely cracked
1½ cups finely grated Pecorino Romano
Kosher salt

Ingredients

Tap to check off (0/4) · 5 servings

Weeknight Vegetarian

Written by

Felix Ortiz

4 followers

Cook, eater, occasional baker in Phoenix. I publish what actually lands on our table.

Made by cooks

1 cook note from the kitchen

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Used a little less salt — still punched through.

@isaac_ford

Responses (1)

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Isaac Ford· I cooked this
2 days ago
Kids cleaned their plates. Rare victory.

More from Felix Ortiz

Felix Ortiz · Sep 21

Bright smoky skillet chicken

A home-cook take on smoky skillet chicken — the version that sticks around our table.

Nutrition Facts

5 servings per recipe · Serving size 1

Per serving

Calories

5

% DV*

Total Fat 0.3g0%

Sodium 5mg0%

Total Carbohydrate 0g0%

Dietary Fiber 0g0%

Protein 0.4g1%

* % Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Estimated from ingredients — some items unmatched. Not a lab analysis.

Instructions

Step 1Technique
Toast pepper in a dry pan until fragrant. Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente.
- 2 tbsp whole black pepper, coarsely cracked
- Kosher salt
Step 2Technique
Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta.
Step 3Technique
Off heat, toss pasta with pepper, cheese, and splashes of water until saucy.
- 2 tbsp whole black pepper, coarsely cracked
Step 4Technique
Serve immediately with extra pepper.
- 2 tbsp whole black pepper, coarsely cracked