Easy Cacio E Pepe Recipe: Jamie Oliver’s Creamy Italian Classic

Jamie Oliver’s cacio e pepe transforms humble ingredients into a culinary masterpiece that whispers authentic Italian comfort.

Roman cuisine rarely achieves such elegant simplicity with just three primary components blending into a creamy, luxurious sauce.

Sophisticated yet uncomplicated, this classic pasta dish celebrates minimalist cooking techniques that elevate basic pantry staples.

Professional chefs and home cooks treasure its delicate balance of sharp cheese and robust pepper notes.

Each twirling forkful promises a symphony of textures that dance across your palate with remarkable intensity.

Mastering this recipe requires precision, patience, and a deep respect for traditional Mediterranean cooking methods.

The magic happens when carefully selected ingredients merge into something far greater than their individual characteristics: a testament to Italian gastronomic wisdom.

Why Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe Is a Pasta Classic

• Unleash Authentic Roman Flavor: This cacio e pepe brings the heart of Rome straight to your kitchen, delivering a classic Italian pasta experience with just three key ingredients that sing together.
• Speedy Gourmet Comfort: Whip up a restaurant-quality meal in just 20 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something delicious but don't want to spend hours cooking.
• Minimalist Culinary Magic: Experience how simple ingredients like butter, black pepper, and parmesan can transform into a creamy, luxurious sauce that coats every strand of pasta with rich, bold flavors.
• Cheese Lover's Dream: The technique of melting fresh parmesan directly into the hot pasta creates a silky, luxurious texture that clings perfectly to each bite, making every mouthful a decadent experience.

Essential Items for Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe

• Pici Dough: A traditional hand-rolled Tuscan pasta with a rustic, thick spaghetti-like texture.

• Butter: Creates a rich, smooth base for the sauce with a creamy consistency.
• Black Pepper: Provides a bold, sharp flavor that is essential to the classic cacio e pepe style.
• Salt: Enhances the overall taste and balances the flavors of the dish.

• Parmesan Cheese: A hard, aged Italian cheese that adds a sharp, nutty flavor and creates a creamy finish when melted.

• Boiling Water: Used for cooking pasta and creating sauce consistency, with some reserved for blending ingredients.

Directions for Making Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe

Step 1: Prepare Boiling Water

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Sprinkle in of salt to enhance the flavor.

Step 2: Cook Pici Pasta

Carefully lower the pici dough into the boiling water. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the pasta reaches al dente consistency.

Step 3: Create Creamy Pepper Sauce

• Butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pasta cooking water

Heat on medium, then reduce to low, stirring until ingredients blend smoothly.

Step 4: Combine Pasta and Sauce

Transfer cooked pici directly into the pepper sauce pan. Reserve of pasta water for potential thinning.

Step 5: Add Cheese Topping

Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over the hot pasta. Let the residual heat start melting the cheese.

Step 6: Final Mix and Season

Gently toss the pasta to distribute the melted cheese evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.

Step 7: Serve Immediately

Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with extra black pepper and a sprinkle of parmesan if desired. Enjoy your authentic cacio e pepe right away!

Helpful Tips for a Perfect Jamie Oliver Cacio e Pepe

• Capture Pepper's Soul: Crush whole peppercorns moments before cooking to unleash their most vibrant, intense flavors and create an explosive taste experience.
• Master Cheese Melting: Grate pecorino romano directly over warm pasta, allowing residual heat to transform hard cheese into a luxurious, silky coating.
• Protect Starchy Liquid Gold: Capture pasta water's magical binding properties by scooping a mugful before draining, ensuring your sauce reaches perfect creamy consistency.
• Create Temperature Harmony: Remove pan from direct heat when incorporating cheese to prevent clumping and guarantee a smooth, glossy sauce texture.
• Dance with Timing: Synchronize pasta cooking and sauce preparation so each element meets at the perfect moment, creating a seamless culinary symphony.

Saving Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe

• Vacuum Sealing: Preserve the pasta's texture and flavor by vacuum sealing individual portions. Remove all air to prevent freezer burn and maintain the dish's original taste. This method keeps Cacio E Pepe fresh and delicious for up to 2 months.
• Glass Container Preservation: Transfer leftover pasta to glass containers with tight-fitting lids. Glass prevents moisture absorption and keeps ingredients from picking up other refrigerator odors. Seal completely and store in the coldest part of your fridge for maximum freshness.
• Quick Reheat Strategy: Revive chilled Cacio E Pepe by adding a splash of pasta water or olive oil when reheating. Gently warm in a skillet over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking and maintain the creamy sauce's integrity. This technique helps restore the original silky texture and prevents dryness.

Flavorful Variations on Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe

• Spicy Pepper Paradise: Add red chili flakes or diced jalapeños to the sauce for a fiery kick that transforms the traditional recipe into a bold, zesty experience.
• Herbal Garden Edition: Incorporate fresh chopped basil or parsley during the final mixing stage to introduce a bright, aromatic layer that complements the rich cheese and pepper.
• Bacon Lover's Dream: Crisp up some pancetta or bacon bits and sprinkle them over the final dish, creating a smoky, salty dimension that elevates the classic cacio e pepe.
• Truffle Luxury Version: Drizzle a small amount of truffle oil just before serving, adding an elegant and luxurious earthy undertone that makes the pasta feel gourmet and sophisticated.

Concluding Notes on Jamie Oliver’s Cacio e Pepe

Pici Cacio E Pepe emerges as Roman culinary poetry, weaving centuries of tradition into each silky strand.

Pepper’s sharp warmth dances with creamy parmesan, creating Mediterranean magic on plates worldwide.

Salt-kissed pasta whispers stories from Italian kitchens, inviting palates into delightful sensory journeys.

Complex flavors harmonize through simple ingredients, proving true cuisine requires passion over complexity.

Cheese melts into liquid gold, coating handmade pici with rustic elegance that connects generations.

When masterpiece reaches table, sensory memories bloom – would passionate souls crave another bite, share this historic recipe, comment with personal pasta tales, spark culinary conversations that celebrate global gastronomic connections?

Jamie Oliver Cacio E Pepe Recipe

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4.8 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Jamie Oliver’s cacio e pepe celebrates Roman simplicity with pasta perfection. Pecorino romano and black pepper create a silky sauce that whisks you to an Italian trattoria’s warmth.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein Ingredients:

• 1 batch pici dough (you can use egg tagliolini, bucatini, or spaghetti)

Dairy Ingredients:

• 160 grams (5.6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) parmesan, finely grated

Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:

• 4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with 4 quarts (3.8 liters) of water and bring to a rolling boil. Generously season the water with kosher salt to enhance the pasta’s flavor.
2. Carefully lower the freshly prepared pici pasta into the vigorously boiling water. Allow the pasta to simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until it reaches an al dente texture.
3. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce in a separate saucepan. Melt 4 tablespoons (60 grams) of unsalted butter over medium heat, then reduce to low. Crack freshly ground black pepper directly into the melting butter.
4. Using a pasta strainer, transfer the cooked pici directly into the butter sauce. Reserve approximately 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the starchy pasta water to help create a silky sauce consistency.
5. Gradually sprinkle 1 cup (100 grams) of finely grated parmesan cheese over the hot pasta. Allow the residual heat to gently melt the cheese without stirring immediately.
6. Gently toss the pasta and sauce together, incorporating the melted cheese. If the sauce seems too thick, incrementally add reserved pasta water to achieve a smooth, glossy coating.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if desired. Serve immediately while the pasta is piping hot.

Notes

• Master the art of creating a silky, peppery sauce that clings perfectly to every strand of pasta.
• Stash some reserved pasta water as your secret weapon for achieving that dreamy, creamy texture.
• Select top-quality Pecorino Romano to unlock the authentic, sharp flavor profile of this Roman specialty.
• Crack fresh black pepper generously to build intense, warming notes throughout the dish.
• Toss the pasta gently with wooden utensils to preserve the delicate sauce’s smooth consistency.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Boiling
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 400 kcal
• Sugar: 0 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 18 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg