Cacio e Pepe with Madagascar Black Peppercorn Olive Oil

Ingredient Spotlight. Our Madagascar Black Peppercorn Infused Olive Oil is warm, floral, and gently biting — pressed with real Madagascar peppercorns, it emulsifies with the starchy pasta water into a glossy, aromatic sauce and echoes the fresh-cracked pepper you finish with.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta (spaghetti or tonnarelli)
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more to adjust
• 4 Tbsp Madagascar Black Peppercorn Infused Olive Oil
• ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1½ tsp finely ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• Sea salt

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta in well-salted water, pulling it a minute shy of done so it can finish in the sauce.
2. Meanwhile, warm a wide skillet over medium-high and ladle in about ½ cup pasta water — enough to film the bottom.
3. Add the pasta, then the butter and peppercorn olive oil. Toss vigorously until the fat and water emulsify into a loose, shiny sauce.
4. Off a lower heat, add the cheeses in handfuls, tossing constantly so they melt smoothly rather than clump. Stir in the ground pepper.
5. Loosen with pasta water or tighten with a knob of butter until creamy. Plate and finish with a raw thread of peppercorn olive oil, more Pecorino, and a crack of pepper.

Chef's Notes

• Take the pan off direct heat before adding cheese — too hot and it seizes into strings.
• Grate the cheese as finely as you can; it melts faster and smoother.

Make It Yours

• For a special-occasion version, finish each bowl with a few drops of our White Truffle Oil for an earthy, aromatic lift.

Allergens: contains gluten and dairy.

This is weeknight comfort with a shop upgrade — come taste the peppercorn oil and see what it does to a simple bowl of pasta.