When I was younger, I affectionately called myself the “Carbohydrate Queen” because there wasn’t a noodle I didn’t like! All of my favorite dishes as a kid had some type of pasta involved. I could eat pasta by itself and I would be a happy camper! This dinner has all of my favorite things! Pasta, cheese and pepper! Cacio e Pepe in Italian means cheese and pepper. This is a simple dish with so much flavor! The spicy pepper balances the creamy pasta and the lemon brightens it up so nice! This is an incredibly easy dish to make! Put it on your list for your next dinner and a movie date night!
Creamy Lemon Pink Peppercorn Cacio e Pepe
4
servings10
minutes10
minutesIngredients
8-10 oz 8-10 Spaghetti
1/2-1 cup 1/2-1 Pecorino Romano Freshly Grated
1/2-1 cup 1/2-1 Pasta Water
1/4 cup 1/4 Heavy Cream
1-2 Tbsp 1-2 Freshly Cracked Pink Peppercorns
Salt to taste for Pasta
1 1 Lemon Zested and Squeezed
Directions
- To begin, fill a large pot with water and heat over high heat to boil. Salt your water and add pasta. Cook to package directions
- In a skillet, add crushed peppercorns and toast for a couple minutes. Squeeze lemon in the pan and stir together with peppercorns. Add pasta water, grated cheese and heavy cream. Stir to melt cheese
- Using tongs, transfer spaghetti to pan and vigorously stir to incorporate cheese and pepper in the pasta. Add more pasta water if needed
- Serve in pasta bowls garnished with Italian parsley and freshly grated pecorino cheese
Recipe Video
Notes
- If you can’t locate pecorino cheese, you can sub parmesan cheese for this dish. You can use any type of pepper you prefer for this dish if you can’t find pink peppercorns.
- I would recommend a nice Italian white wine like Gavi or Prosecco to pair with this dish.
- I’ve included a recent Saturday Dinners episode that demonstrates how I make Cacio e Pepe! Enjoy!