Cacio e pepe () is a
pasta
Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are som ...
dish from
the cuisine of the city of Rome.
[Boni (1930), p. 46] ''
Cacio e
pepe
Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish name José (Josep). It is also a surname.
*
People
Mononyms
* Pepe (footballer, born 1935), real name José Macia, Brazilian footballer
*Pepe (footballer, born 1983), real name Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira ...
'' means "cheese and pepper" in several central
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
dialects. In keeping with its name, the dish contains grated
Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano () is a hard, salty Italian cheese, often used for grating, made with sheep's milk. The name "pecorino" simply means "ovine" or "of sheep" in Italian; the name of the cheese, although protected, is a simple description rather than ...
cheese and
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diame ...
, together with
spaghetti
Spaghetti () is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta.[spaghetti](_blank)
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridg ...
,
[ or traditionally ]tonnarelli
''Spaghetti alla chitarra'' (), also known as ''maccheroni alla chitarra'', is a variety of egg pasta typical of the Abruzzo region in Italy, with a square cross section about 2–3 mm thick. ''Tonnarelli'' are a similar pasta from Lazio. ' ...
.
Preparation
The pasta is prepared in boiling salted water as usual; it is then poured into the grated pecorino 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.[ There is a]
English translation
but it lacks important tips on getting this deceptively simple dish right. Google Translate works well.
Variants
While not traditional to cacio e pepe, seafood or bacon may be added, and other shapes of pasta such as rigatoni
Rigatoni () are a form of tube-shaped pasta of varying lengths and diameters originating in Italy. They are larger than penne and ziti, and sometimes slightly curved. If so, they are not as curved as elbow macaroni. Rigatoni characteristically ...
, always made with a rough surface, may be used.[
]
See also
* Carbonara
Carbonara () is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork and black pepper. The dish arrived at its modern form, with its current name, in the middle of the 20th century.
The cheese is usually Pecorino Romano, ...
* Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine (, ) is a Mediterranean cuisine#CITEREFDavid1988, David 1988, Introduction, pp.101–103 consisting of the ingredients, recipes and List of cooking techniques, cooking techniques developed across the Italian Peninsula and late ...
* List of pasta dishes
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, with the first reference dating to 1154 in Sicily. It is also commonly used to refer to the variety of pasta Dish (food), dishes. Pasta is typically a noodle traditionally made from an unlea ...
*
Notes
Sources
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Cuisine of Lazio
Italian sauces
Pasta dishes
{{Italy-cuisine-stub