Martha Stewart Cacio e Pepe with Lemon

Martha Stewart cacio e pepe with lemon turns thick spaghetti, two Italian cheeses and plenty of cracked pepper into a glossy, silky pasta in 25 minutes. Try this easy weeknight dinner for date night or a quick lunch, since it's a simple one-skillet recipe with big restaurant flavor.

Pull the pasta about 2 minutes before the package time says, because it finishes cooking in the skillet with the butter and starchy water. Cook it all the way first and it turns soft, then can't soak up the sauce.

Martha uses two cheeses instead of one. Grana Padano melts into the buttery pasta water for a creamy sauce, while Pecorino Romano goes in off the heat so it never clumps, and a squeeze of lemon, ideally Meyer, brightens the whole bowl.

Martha Stewart Cacio e Pepe with Lemon

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

780

kcal

Thick noodles get coated in a glossy, peppery cheese sauce built right in the skillet with butter and starchy pasta water. Lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil finish it with a fresh, bright edge.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt
  

• 8 ounces thick spaghetti or bucatini
  

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened
  

• 3 ounces Grana Padano cheese, grated (1 cup)
  

• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper (use a mortar and pestle or the coarsest setting on a grinder), plus more for garnish
  

• 3/4 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (¼ cup)
  

• 1 small lemon (preferably Meyer)
  

• High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  

Directions

• Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, then add 8 ounces thick spaghetti or bucatini. Cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package says, and reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
• Start the sauce: Transfer the pasta to a 12-inch skillet, then add 1/2 stick softened butter and 1/2 cup pasta water. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat, so the starch in the water melds with the butter and keeps the cheese from turning stringy.
• Add Grana Padano and pepper: Reduce the heat to low and mix in 1 cup grated Grana Padano and 2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper. Grana Padano is softer than Pecorino, so it melts into the buttery water and builds a sauce while the pasta finishes cooking.
• Toss the pasta: Toss the pasta with tongs until every strand is coated with sauce. Keep it at a gentle simmer for about 1 minute, just until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly.
• Finish with Pecorino and zest: Take the skillet off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano, since it clumps if cooked over direct heat. Then zest the small lemon over the pasta.
• Serve: If the pasta looks dry, toss it with a bit more pasta water until it has a glossy coating. Divide it between 2 warm bowls, then drizzle each with olive oil and lemon juice and finish with more cracked pepper.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Microplane zester grater, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use only Pecorino Romano instead of two cheeses?

You can, and that's the old-school way of tossing hot pasta with cheese and pepper. Martha adds Grana Padano because it melts more smoothly into the pan sauce, so with Pecorino alone, add it off the heat and toss fast to avoid clumps.

Why did my cacio e pepe sauce turn clumpy or stringy?

Too much heat is the usual cause. Pecorino clumps when it cooks, so it goes in only after the skillet is off the burner, and the butter and starchy water keep the Grana Padano smooth.

Do I have to use Meyer lemon?

No, any lemon works here. Meyer is a nice pick because it's sweeter, with hints of orange and lime, but a regular lemon still gives the bright finish the cheese and pepper need.

What pasta works best for cacio e pepe?

Spaghetti or bucatini are the right choices. Long, thin, round noodles coat evenly in this simple sauce, and thick spaghetti holds up well since it finishes cooking in the skillet.

How do I fix the sauce if the pasta looks dry?

Toss it with a splash of the reserved pasta water until it turns glossy. That's why you save a full cup, and a little at a time is better so the sauce doesn't turn watery. It's best served right away, since the sauce tightens as it sits.