Cacio e Pepe with Egg
Jenny Goycochea
Photo by Bobbi Lin
- Serves
- 2 to 4
- Prep Time
- 5 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 Minutes
This is the easiest dinner you could possibly make. Add some crushed red pepper for a little kick and please, please, please freshly grind your pepper!
Ingredients
- Salt, to taste
- 12 ounce pasta (spaghetti or bucatini)
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago, as needed
- 1 egg yolk
Featured Video
This recipe is the embodiment of five-ingredient perfection! Farm-fresh eggs, fresh pasta, and good Parmesan turned the dish into a gourmet delight. The sauce comes together so easily and yet is so unctuous, creamy, and sophisticated. Really a wonderful example of simple ingredients creating a memorable dish. And so simple to throw together. I haven't tried it with dried pasta, but I suspect that that would be delicious, as well.
Directions
- Step 1
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add some salt to the water (not too much, as you will use this water for your sauce). Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Step 2
In the same pot the pasta was boiled in, add 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Melt your butter into this and add the pepper. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and toss to coat.
- Step 3
Add the cheese and egg yolk and, using tongs, toss the ingredients together until combined. If the pasta seems a little sticky, add the remaining pasta water. If it's a little wet, add more cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.