Whenever I read another food blogger’s take on cacio e pepe–that is, spaghetti with cheese and black pepper–the rhythm is always the same. It’s always about how sometimes the simplest dish is the best measure of a cook’s ability. It’s about how the simplicity of the sauce lets you taste the pasta more fully. It’s about how the simple ingredients and simple preparation combine to make a lovely, thoroughly Italian plate of pasta.
In case you hadn’t noticed, this is a simple dish.
It’s also, at least in my world, the classic example of a sometimes food: a little guilt-inducing, best taken in small doses.
