Cacio e Pepe & Carbonara Tasting Walk
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- Category
- Pasta
- Cancellation
- Free, up to 24 hours before
- Price
- From €45 / adult
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Gelato & Espresso Crawl
Hands-On Pasta Making Class in TrastevereAbout this experience
What to expect
Cacio e pepe and carbonara are two of the pillars of Roman cooking, and both are built from almost nothing: cheese, pepper, eggs, cured pork and pasta. Because the ingredient lists are so short, technique decides everything. This page explains how each dish is meant to be made, what separates a great plate from a disappointing one, and why Romans have such strong opinions about both.
Cacio e pepe: cheese and pepper, nothing else
The name means simply cheese and pepper. The cheese is pecorino romano, a hard, salty sheep's milk cheese, and the pepper is black pepper, usually toasted in a pan to release its aroma. The pasta is typically a long shape such as tonnarelli or spaghetti.
The skill lies in the sauce. Grated pecorino is combined off the heat with a little of the starchy cooking water, which carries the cheese into a creamy coating. Too much heat and the cheese clumps into rubbery strings, while too much water leaves it thin. A good plate is glossy, peppery and sharp, with no cream anywhere near it.
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Carbonara: eggs, guanciale and pecorino
The classic Roman carbonara uses egg yolks (sometimes with a little whole egg), pecorino romano, black pepper and guanciale, which is cured pork jowl. The guanciale is cooked slowly until its fat renders and the edges turn crisp. The pasta is tossed with the fat, then with the egg and cheese mixture away from direct heat, so the eggs thicken into a sauce instead of scrambling.
Several additions are widely considered to have no place in the dish:
- Cream. The silky texture comes from egg, cheese and pasta water, not dairy cream.
- Garlic or onion. The flavour should come from the pork, cheese and pepper.
- Bacon or pancetta. Guanciale is the traditional choice for its richer, more delicate flavour.
The origins, and why nobody agrees
Carbonara's exact birth is debated. The name relates to carbonaro, the Italian word for a charcoal burner, but whether the dish was invented by such workers, or appeared in the mid-twentieth century in Rome, remains a matter of argument. Cacio e pepe, by contrast, is commonly described as a simple shepherd's dish, since dried pasta, hard cheese and pepper all travel and keep well. Neither story is settled, and that is part of the fun of discussing them.
The wider Roman pasta family
These two dishes sit alongside others that share their ingredients. Gricia is essentially carbonara without eggs, while amatriciana adds tomato to guanciale and pecorino. Seeing them side by side shows how a few ingredients can be rearranged into very different dishes.
How to judge a plate
Look for a sauce that clings to the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom. The pasta should be properly al dente, with a little bite at the centre. Carbonara should be pale gold and creamy without being scrambled, with golden pieces of guanciale visible. Cacio e pepe should taste sharply of cheese and pepper. Both dishes should be eaten immediately, because they thicken and cool quickly.
A note for dietary needs
Both dishes contain dairy and gluten, and carbonara contains egg and pork. Vegetarians, or anyone avoiding pork or raw-style egg sauces, should say so when they book anything food-related. Walking between places is easier in comfortable shoes, and the historic centre has plenty of landmarks to pass on foot, from Campo de' Fiori to the Pantheon.
Useful information
- Tell the organiser about allergies and diets when you book: these dishes contain dairy, gluten, egg and pork.
- Wear comfortable shoes for walking on Rome's cobbled streets.
- Eat pasta straight away; it is at its peak the moment it arrives.
- Carry water in summer, since pecorino and black pepper make for a salty meal.
Know before you go
- Roman pasta is traditionally served al dente, with a bite at the centre.
- Carbonara is made with egg that is cooked only by the heat of the pasta, so tell the organiser if that matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
▸Why is carbonara made without cream?
In the Roman tradition, the creaminess comes from egg yolks, pecorino and starchy pasta water. Cream is considered unnecessary.
▸What is guanciale?
It is cured pork jowl, richer and more delicate in flavour than pancetta, and it is the traditional meat for carbonara.
▸What cheese is used in cacio e pepe?
Pecorino romano, a hard and salty sheep's milk cheese.
▸Why does cacio e pepe sometimes clump?
The cheese can seize into strings if it meets too much heat or too little liquid, which is why it is mixed off the heat with starchy water.
▸What does cacio mean?
In central Italian dialect, cacio means cheese, so the name translates as cheese and pepper.
▸What is gricia?
It is a Roman pasta of guanciale, pecorino and pepper, often described as carbonara without the eggs.
▸Which pasta shapes suit these dishes?
Tonnarelli and spaghetti are the classic choices for both, while rigatoni is also common for carbonara.
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