Food - Drink
The Type Of Cheese Cacio E Pepe Always Uses
By SYLVIA TOMCZAK
Cacio e pepe is a classic creamy Roman pasta dish that features just three ingredients: pasta, black pepper, and cheese. It should come as no surprise that choosing the right ingredients is essential to great final results, and for the best, most authentic cacio e pepe, only one type of cheese should ever be used.
Pecorino romano is the only cheese for proper cacio e pepe, and cannot be replaced by something like parmesan. Also known as "cacio," La Cucina Italiana explains that pecorino romano has been integral to the Roman diet for centuries because it’s “rich in energy and easy to digest” with a “sharp flavor that embraces others.”
When choosing your cheese, Roman chefs recommend a pecorino romano that is aged for at least eight months, since the cheese becomes smokier, more pungent, and crumbly as it matures. Combine this cheese with freshly-ground pepper and a long pasta like spaghettone, and you'll be enjoying this dish as it was meant to be.