CJ's Famous Cacio e Pepe by CJ Eats

Instructions

1. Toast whole peppercorns over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes to extract the oils. Transfer to a pepper grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a medium coarse grind. Add back to your pan with the heat off.
2. Cook your spaghetti (or pasta shape of choice) in lightly salted water. Two minutes before the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set on the counter to let cool to about 150°F (this is the key to avoiding lumpy cheese - adding pasta water straight from the pot is much too hot).
3. Still off the heat, add 3/4 of your grated cheese to your peppercorns along with a 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time, stirring until you get a loose but emulsified sauce.
4. Add your drained pasta and mix vigorously. At this point your pasta should start to absorb the sauce, but add additional pasta water and mix if the sauce is too thick. Continue mixing until you achieve the correct consistency. Serve immediately garnished with remaining cheese and enjoy!
5. Serving size: about 1 cup