Cacio e Pepe with Castelvetrano
There is no shame in admitting that the best version of cacio e pepe involves olive oil. Stir it in off the heat, after the cheese has loosened the sauce, and you get a finish that is almost glossy. Use a soft, grassy oil; nothing sharp. The Castelvetrano from Olio del Monte was made for this.
Ingredients
- Sea salt, for the pasta water
- 200g bucatini or spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
- 120g pecorino Romano, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons Olio del Monte Castelvetrano extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- Aeolian flake salt, to finish
Method
- Bring a wide pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously, the way you mean it.
- Toast the cracked pepper in a wide skillet over medium heat until it smells like a forest, about 90 seconds. Pour in a ladle of pasta water and let it sizzle.
- Drop the pasta and cook one minute shy of the package time. Reserve a full cup of starchy water.
- Transfer the pasta to the pepper pan with another ladle of water. Toss hard, off the heat, until the water turns silky.
- Add the pecorino in two passes, tossing each time so it melts into a sauce rather than clumps. Add water by the spoonful as needed.
- Off the heat, drizzle in the olive oil and toss until the sauce takes on a soft sheen. Finish with a heavy crack of pepper, a pinch of flake salt, and a final thread of oil.