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garlic chilli cacio e pepe in a plate

Garlic Chilli Cacio e Pepe

dishbyrish
A spicy take on the classic cacio e pepe. Traditionally a pecorino and black pepper sauce originating from Rome.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3 people

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g dried spaghetti/bucatini
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 shallot diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 red bird’s eye chillies minced
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 50 g salted butter
  • 70 g pecorino romano very finely grated (also keep extra for garnishing or balancing the sauce*)
  • Handful of parsley roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Start boiling your spaghetti or bucatini in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the packaging instructions
  • Toast the black pepper on a low heat until fragrant ~about 1-2 minutes
  • Transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind to a coarse powder. Don’t grind finely, we want to retain some texture
  • Then melt some butter in a wide pan over a low heat and add the black peppercorns
  • Next add in the shallots along with the garlic and chilli and sauté over a medium heat until the shallots are translucent and the garlic has turned lightly golden
  • Place the heat back on low and add the Kashmiri chilli powder. Toast the spice and allow it to infuse into the butter
  • Turn the heat off and add a good ladle of the starchy pasta water to the butter mix, followed by the pasta
  • Then add the grated pecorino and vigorously mix the paste to start emulsifying the pasta water, cheese and butter
  • *To balance the sauce: if it’s too thick then add more pasta water to thin out the sauce. On the contrary if it's too thin then add more grated pecorino
  • Finally add the parsley and serve immediately
Keyword black pepper, cacio e pepe, chilli, garlic, garlic chilli cacio e pepe, pecorino, spaghetti