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Cacio e Pepe with Crispy Prosciutto

Cacio e Pepe with Crispy Prosciutto reads salinity 7.5, umami 7.1 and richness 6.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 7.5 · Umami 7.1 · Richness 6.1 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Nutty 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Sweetness 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Heat 0.7 · Earthy 0.7 · Sourness 0.6

What's in it (8)

Time & effort: about 20 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 326.4 kcal, 17.7 g protein, 18.6 g fat, 34.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply crisp and browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving any rendered fat in the skillet.
  2. Add the cracked peppercorns to the same skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the kosher salt. Add the bucatini and cook until al dente, about 1 minute short of the package time, 8-9 minutes.
  4. Just before draining, ladle out 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water and reserve it. Drain the pasta.
  5. Return the skillet with the toasted pepper to medium-low heat. Add the butter and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk until the butter melts and the liquid turns glossy and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  6. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss constantly over low heat until well coated in the peppery butter sauce, about 1 minute.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Pecorino Romano and Parmesan a handful at a time, tossing constantly and adding splashes of the remaining pasta water as needed, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles with no clumps, about 2 minutes.
  8. Divide the pasta among bowls, scatter the crispy prosciutto shards and extra grated Pecorino on top, and serve immediately.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.