Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian dish that’s pretty hard to mess up but also very difficult to innovate. There are only so many things you can change without the threat of a gaggle of internet-enabled Italians coming after you with pitchforks and colorful expletives.
But I think I have devised kind of a brilliant loophole. Cacio e pepe directly translates to “cheese and pepper.” So why not get a little creative when considering the pepper half of the equation? Instead of just black peppercorns, this recipe uses black, white, AND Sichuan peppercorns for a spicy, very slightly “numbing” concoction.
I know.
Crazy.
Good.
The flavor of this cacio e pepe recipe is really full-bodied–and delightfully East meets West-esque. The black and white peppercorns provide warmth and spice, and the Sichuan peppercorns leave that most excellent tingly numbness in your mouth, giving the dish a whole new level of complexity.
I don’t want to toot my own horn too much or anything, but the awesomeness of this recipe will definitely sneak up on you. Just wait for the moment when each peppercorn does its thing and you’re in cheesy, peppery heaven. What’s more, it comes together really quickly–there’s really no excuse to not try it!
Spicy Numbing Cacio e Pepe: Recipe Instructions
First, cook your spaghetti following the package instructions, adding a few good pinches of salt to the water. Also set a timer for 1 minute less than the recommended pasta cooking time. This is key for final orchestration of this dish)!
Mix together your peppercorns (read more about Sichuan peppercorns and white peppercorns if you’re unfamiliar with them), and load them into a grinder. Alternatively, you can pre-grind in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. A good mix of a coarse and fine grind is just perfect.
When there’s about 4 minutes left for your pasta to boil, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. The pan should be big enough to accommodate all of the pasta.
Add approximately 2 teaspoons (eyeballing it is just fine) of your cracked peppercorn mixture into the oil. The pepper should sizzle to infuse the oil (make sure the pepper is getting gently fried rather than crisped and burnt in the oil).
Remove 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot, and transfer to the oil and pepper mixture, turning the heat up to medium high. Be careful, because there’s quite a lot of sizzly water-on-oil action!
Your pasta should be 1 minute away from al dente by now. Drain the pasta and add to the oil mixture in the skillet.
Toss quickly, and add the pecorino and parmesan.
While you’re at it, add some more of your peppercorn mixture to taste, depending on your preferences for spice. The world is your oyster!
Stir and toss the pasta until there are no more cheese clumps left and the excess water has cooked off into a smooth, silky sauce. Top with a sprinkling of more cheese and more cracked pepper.
If you can’t get enough of Sichuan peppercorns, then check out Dan Dan Noodles or our traditional Ma Po Tofu recipes
“Spicy Numbing” Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dried spaghetti
- salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon green and red Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup pecorino romano
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First, cook your spaghetti following the package instructions, adding a few good pinches of salt to the water. Also set a timer for 1 minute less than the recommended pasta cooking time. This is key for final orchestration of this dish)!
- Mix together your peppercorns and load into a grinder. Alternatively, you can pre-grind in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. A good mix of a coarse and fine grind is just perfect.
- When there's about 4 minutes left for your pasta to boil, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. The pan should be big enough to accommodate all of the pasta.
- Add approximately 2 teaspoons (eyeballing it is just fine) of your cracked peppercorn mixture into the oil. The pepper should sizzle to infuse the oil (make sure the pepper is getting gently fried rather than crisped and burnt in the oil).
- Remove 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot, and transfer to the oil and pepper mixture, turning the heat up to medium high. Be careful, because there's quite a lot of sizzly water-on-oil action!
- Your pasta should be 1 minute away from al dente by now. Drain the pasta and add to the oil mixture in the skillet. Toss quickly, and add the pecorino and parmesan. While you're at it, add some more of your peppercorn mixture to taste, depending on your preferences for spice. The world is your oyster!
- Stir and toss the pasta until there are no more cheese clumps left and the excess water has cooked off into a smooth, silky sauce. Top with a sprinkling of more cheese and more cracked pepper.
Sounds great, but I don’t understand why you make 4 Tbsp = 12 tsp of pepper mixture, but only use 2 tsp of the mixture initially. Do you mean 2 Tbsp (or about half the mixture)? That would make more sense.
Hi Rick, I think more than anything we can chalk this up to amateur recipe development. In recent years we’ve given a lot more attention to avoiding waste. I’m pretty sure this was a strange convenience measure at the time to make sure that my pepper grinder would evenly distribute the spices. It’s a good flag! Probably makes sense to scale down to teaspoon measures for the initial peppercorn allocations rather than tablespoons.
I tried this recipe, and maybe it was just the peppercorns I used (Penzeys) and the Sichuan flavor was waaaaaay over powering. I like spicy but it was off. Good concept but didn’t work out for me.
Hi Joe, yeah this recipe pre-dates our discovery of super fresh and zingy Sichuan peppercorns! So I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re using a good batch that it was a bit overpowering. I’ll have to earmark this one to make again soon so I can add some new recipe notes.
This is really great! I’m considering just keeping sichuan peppercorns in with my normal black pepper grinder, if this is the result!
oooh yummy! Glad you loved it Rachel, and thank you for the stars!
Just a quick note – this is listed under your “vegetarian” recipe list. However, readers should know that Parmesan (Parmesano Reggiano) and Pecorino Romano cheese are almost never vegetarian. Under EU regulations, they must contain rennet, which is an enzyme obtained from slaughtering baby cows. There are a few brands out there which make vegetarian Parmesan (Belgioioso, etc.) but you have to look hard.
Thank you, Ruj, for pointing it out for our readers.
AAAAAAAH! this was so FLIPPIN GOOD! :D I sauteed some sliced garlic and red chilies in the olive oil first and then removed (added back in at the end as garnish), then proceeded with your instructions. It was my first batch of pasta with my new Kitchenaid mixer (my present to me from me for the holiday.) I am crazy for Szechuan peppercorns (addicted to your Mapo Tofu the real deal recipe.)
This was just insanely delicious. thanks so much for this recipe and for all you guys do!
Hey Toni Jean, so glad you liked it, and with the homemade pasta :D Thanks for reading and cooking!
Vegan fan here, I made a vegan version of this using nutritional yeast and vegan parmesan, and it turned out SO GOOD! I also threw in a handful of baby spinach for a nutrition boost and substance. I loved it!! When I poured in the pasta water, I tossed in maybe 1.5 Tbl. of Bragg’s Nooch and the same amount of Go Veggie Parm, then immediately the noodles and spinach. You couldn’t even tell it was vegan! (Angry Italians, come fight me! ;P) Great idea with the Sichuan peppercorns! I loved it. Will make again soon.
That sounds delicious! I’m going to try this as soon as I get some spaghetti
Hi Meagan, that sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing for other vegetarians/vegans :)