Roscioli’s Cacio e Pepe: The Dish You Can Now Make at Home

At Roscioli’s New York outpost on a sweltering June night, my first bite of their Cacio e Pepe reset my standard for the Roman classic.

The restaurant has perfected its delivery of the dish over decades since its original location’s opening in the 1970s.

“It would be fun to know how many Cacio e Pepe we've made since Roscioli first opened, across the Forno, Salumeria, Caffè, Rimessa and now New York,” Mattia Moliterni, managing partner of Roscioli, tells Appetito.

In many ways Cacio e Pepe is representative of Roman cuisine with its focus on simple dishes that don’t lose their charm, according to Moliterni.

“Time and trends don't affect them, and we still enjoy eating them, just as our guests do,” he says. “I was born and raised in Rome, and I grew up eating Cacio e Pepe.”

For Moliterni, the dish belonged to the Italian city. It wasn’t widely known outside of Rome. 

“That's why it's both surprising and rewarding to see something you've loved your whole life become appreciated by so many people around the world.”

As its appeal grows, Moliterni shared tips on how to make it and Roscioli’s recipe with Appetito.

Making Cacio e Pepe isn’t as simple as it may seem.

Salt—and not overdoing it with the salt—is the first thing to consider.

“Pecorino Romano is naturally quite salty, so if you over-salt the pasta water, the final dish can easily become unbalanced,” he says.

Using authentic Pecorino Romano is also important. “There are other similar cheeses, but they simply won't give you the same result. Finally, when you drain the pasta and begin emulsifying it with the cheese, it's safer to turn the heat off. If the pan is too hot, the Pecorino will become stringy instead of melting into the smooth, creamy sauce you're after.”

Roscioli’s Cacio e Pepe is set apart thanks to the ingredients used—the “foundation” of everything the restaurant offers, according to Moliterni.

Cacio e Pepe gives all ingredients included a chance to stand out and so using high quality ingredients makes a difference.  

“I don't know if that makes our Cacio e Pepe any better than anyone else's, but we're convinced it's the right approach,” he says.

Appetito recommends visiting Roscioli in person in New York or in Rome to try the restaurant’s Cacio e Pepe—but if you’d like to try it at home, the full recipe can be found below.

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