I made cacio e pepe from Stanley Tucci's 'Searching for Italy,' and while the recipe breaks tradition it's still heaven in a bowl

Armani SyedApr 7, 2022, 16:32 IST

Stanley Tucci eating cacio e pepe in "Searching for Italy" (left), and the cheese and pepper spaghetti recreated by the author (right.)BBC, Armani Syed

I made cacio e pepe, a cheese and pepper spaghetti, from Stanley Tucci's show "Searching for Italy."
The Roman classic is one of four dishes the city is known for but this recipe breaks the tradition.

I watched Stanley Tucci's travel cooking show, "Searching for Italy," before visiting Rome and one of the four Roman pastas caught my attention — cacio e pepe.

Stanley Tucci at Hotel Eden in Rome, Italy.Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images

I tried cacio e pepe in Rome a number of times in Rome but I'd never tried a different take on the three-ingredient recipe.

The author by the Colosseum in Rome and cacio e pepe from Antica Pesa, a Roman restaurant.Armani Syed

The simple recipe requires just four ingredients, or three if you prefer the traditional Roman recipe.

Cacio e pepe can be made with as few as three ingredients.Armani Syed

Start by heating a pan of water until it's boiling and then add 300 grams of spaghetti and cook until al dente.

Spaghetti being cooked in boiling water.Armani Syed

Weigh 70 grams of Pecorino Romana and 30 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano in a bowl and grind some black peppercorns.

Pecorino Romana and Parmigiano Reggiano in a bowl alongside ground black pepper.Armani Syed

Place the pasta in a mixing bowl and slowly add the cheese mix with spoonfuls of pasta water until the spaghetti is coated. Alternate adding the pepper and cheese.

Stanley Tucci's cacio e pepe uses two types of cheese whereas Romans only use Pecorino.Armani Syed

The simple meal takes no longer than 15 minutes to make, but its taste lies in your ability to be patient when adding cheese and pasta water.

The process of adding cheese and pasta water to the spaghetti.Armani Syed

Add any additional pepper depending on your personal taste and top with more Pecorino before serving.

Completed cacio e pepe and the author with the meal.Armani Syed

This cacio e pepe recipe might break Roman traditions but the vegetarian dish will be my go-to quick lunch for years to come.

Cacio e pepe served in a pasta nest shape with extra pepper on top.Armani Syed

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