Pici cacio e pepe

Name: Pici cacio e pepe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2.4 cups; Water lukewarm 0.625 cup; Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 pinch; Pecorino Romano PDO cheese (to be grated) 3.5 oz; Ground black pepper ½ spoonful

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Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 2
Cost: Low
Note + the resting time of the dough in the refrigerator (30 min.)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

If you're craving a taste of Tuscany, pici cacio e pepe is where it is at. Really, it captures the soul of Italian cooking. And look, in this Tuscan pasta recipe, pici is the star—thick, hand-rolled noodles made simply with flour and water. They have this tender bite that, honestly, is so so different from spaghetti or tonnarelli. Tuscan folks are serious about their food, and this dish is no exception.

The essentials? Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Medium-aged Pecorino is where it's at, with its tangy and creamy goodness that melts into a sauce that really clings to the pasta. And the pepper? It's freshly crushed right before cooking. It fills the kitchen with this spicy aroma—so inviting.

What makes this pici cacio e pepe really really special? Its simplicity. Like, you know, where less is more. The sauce is all about the basics—just rich cheese and pepper. No butter, no cream. So here's the thing, this lets the flavors shine, giving each bite a silky texture that's just comforting. Perfect for a weekend meal or quick weeknight dinner. Really good stuff.

You'd swear you're enjoying this at a small trattoria in the Tuscan countryside. Fresh black pepper? Points up the flavors. And the salty Pecorino? Ties it all together. It's easy to see why this cheese and pepper pasta has been loved in Tuscany for generations. If simple, golden pasta dishes with big flavor are your thing, you really should try this classic Italian recipe. Trust me, it deserves a spot in your dinner lineup. And here's the deal—can't go wrong with that.

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough: Type 00 flour 2.4 cups (300 g); Water 0.625 cup (150 g) - lukewarm; Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 pinch

For the Sauce: Pecorino Romano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g) - (to be grated); Ground black pepper ½ spoonful

Preparation

How to prepare Pici cacio e pepe

To make the pici with cheese and pepper, first prepare the dough: place the flour on a work surface and form a well, then add the lukewarm water 1, salt 2, and oil 3.

Start mixing with a fork to incorporate the flour into the liquid 4, then continue working with your hands 5 until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap 6 and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, crush the black peppercorns in a mortar 7 and grate the Pecorino cheese 8. After the resting time, take the dough and divide it into portions 9.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 0.4 inches 10, then cut it into strips 11. Roll them with your palms to form long, thin cords of uniform thickness 12.

After forming all the pici 13, bring a pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toast the pepper in a pan 14, deglazing with a ladle of pasta cooking water 15.

Drop the pici into the boiling water 16 and drain them directly into the pan with the pepper 17, then add a little more cooking water 18.

Add the grated Pecorino cheese off the heat 19 and mix well to melt everything together 20. Plate the pici with the cheese and pepper sauce 21.

Finish with more Pecorino cheese 22 and a grind of pepper 23. Serve your pici with cheese and pepper immediately 34!

Storage

It is recommended to enjoy the pici with cheese and pepper right after preparation.

Tip

Adjust the creaminess of the sauce by alternating the addition of cheese and cooking water until you achieve the ideal consistency.

What is the difference between pici and tonnarelli with cheese and pepper? Both are perfect for this type of sauce, but the latter have a square cross-section!

Looking for other delicious ideas to dress your pici? Try the recipe for Pici with Mushroom and Walnut Bolognese or the classic Pici with Breadcrumbs!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.