Cacio e Pepe Pizza
Topped with just olive oil, pecorino cheese, salt and pepper, and cream, Cacio e Pepe pizza is surprisingly satisfying. Pair it with red wine and arugula salad for a simple yet sophisticated meal.
Makes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Rolling pin (optional)
- pastry brush
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- High-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup heavy cream, divided
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone in the top third or place the steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet / pizza pan or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Prick the dough all over with a fork and brush it lightly with oil, making sure to get the oil all the way to the edges. In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and 1 to 1½ teaspoons of black pepper, then dump the mixture onto the oiled dough and spread it out evenly, leaving a 1-inch border of dough. Drizzle with half of the cream.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 5 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, drizzle on the remaining cream, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and finish with a pinch of black pepper (if desired). Let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.