This spaghetti cacio e pepe recipe has been made in our family for many years, and everyone loves it. It is a very basic and easy variation on mac and cheese.
Ingredients
- spaghetti: 1 pound
- olive oil: 6 Tbsp
- garlic: 2 clove (minced)
- ground black pepper: 2 tsp
- ¾ cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese: 1 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain spaghetti.
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic and pepper in hot oil until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cooked spaghetti and Pecorino Romano cheese. Ladle in 1/2 cup reserved cooking water; stir until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in more cooking water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce coats spaghetti, about 1 minute more.