Ravioli Cacio e Pepe

5 from 1 vote

This Ravioli Cacio e Pepe is made with Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and cheese ravioli for a flavorful dish that comes together in about 15 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 437kcal

Author: Lauren Skardal

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter
½-1 teaspoon black pepper medium ground
14-16 oz cheese ravioli
¼ cup + 2 tbsp pasta water
2 oz Pecorino Ramano cheese ½ cup finely grated

Instructions

Bring a large sauté pan to medium-low heat. Add the butter and gently stir to melt. Add the black pepper, stir for about 1 minute to allow the pepper to bloom. Remove the pan from the heat. The pan will continue to stay off the heat for the duration of the recipe (even when adding the ravioli).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the ravioli according to the package directions.
This is typically in the range of 3-5 minutes for fresh ravioli and 6-8 minutes for frozen ravioli. Err on the side of cooking the ravioli less for an al dente texture that finishes briefly in the pan.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the ravioli from the pot of boiling water and add them to the sauté pan with the melted butter and black pepper. Do not drain the pasta water.
Add ¼ cup of the pasta water to the sauté pan with the ravioli, along with half of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and toss. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of the pasta water (for easy measuring, 2 tablespoons = half of a ¼ cup), and the remaining Pecorino Romano cheese. Toss to coat. It should form a smooth and glossy sauce.
*If needed (depending on the size of your ravioli or the size of the pan), add a little more pasta water, but work quickly.
For the best flavor and sauce consistency, serve immediately, before the dish has a chance to cool.

Notes

Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano: If possible, buy a block or wedge of Pecorino Romano and grate it finely by hand. This will help the cheese blend with the pasta water into a sauce.
Black Pepper: For a milder flavor, use ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. For a stronger flavor, use 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Don't Drain the Pasta Water: Rather than draining the pasta water, use a slotted spoon or sieve to remove the ravioli from the hot water and transfer to the sauté pan. This little bit of extra hot pasta water that transfers with the ravioli helps with the sauce.
Work Quickly: Once you start to add the pasta water and the cheese, work quickly to ensure that the hot water melts and blends with the cheese so that you get a smooth-textured sauce.
Add the Pecorino Romano and Hot Water Off the Heat: Ensure that the sauté pan with the melted butter and black pepper has been removed from the heat. The hot water is enough to melt the sauce. If the pan is hot, the cheese may clump rather than emulsify into a sauce.
Be Mindful of Surface Area: If you’re using a large sauté pan, the hot starchy pasta water will evaporate more quickly than if you are using a sauté pan with less surface area. You may need slightly less hot pasta water in a smaller pan. I’ve done this side by side with two different-sized pans and needed a different amount of pasta water for each pan.

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