Pasta Cacio e Pepe

My first taste of cacio was when I was the chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica in the early 1980s. Mauro Vincenti, the intrepid Italian restaurateur and Renaissance man, explained the dish. He told me three important things: first, the pasta has to be hot; second, you have to use the right amount of pasta water; and third, don’t scrimp on freshly milled black pepper. Also, the right type of pecorino is essential. It really is the quintessential pasta; a littl