The crazy epic of cacio e pepe, the darling of Italian restaurants

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In just a few years, this Roman pasta made with pecorino Romano and pepper has become a staple of Parisian trattorias. But mastering this seemingly simple dish requires a real knack and a few chef's secrets.

Made with carefully selected pasta, pecorino Romano cheese, and pepper, the recipe for cacio e pepe dates back to the Middle Ages. Here, in Milan on April 9, 2025. (Martina Giammaria/Libération)

A craze has taken over Parisian trattorias: everyone wants to eat cacio e pepe, Roman pasta with pepper and pecorino Romano. This dish has become such a French passion that in early June, François-Régis Gaudry organized, for his show Très très bon, a " battle " between chefs Marco Viganò (Piero TT restaurant, Paris 7th arrondissement) and Michele Farnese (Dilia, Paris 20th arrondissement) to determine who makes the best in the capital. Across the city, chefs are having a field day: among the most delicious, Giovanni Passerini (Paris 12th arrondissement) and Lorenzo Sciabica at Pastore (Paris 9th arrondissement) are reaching new heights.

But why the hell eat pasta at a restaurant? Because making cacio e pepe at home is a real feat, given the technical difficulty of the dish. Desperate to fail with this sauce from hell, we called on our loved ones.