Cacio e Pepe Pizza
Cacio e Pepe Pizza is as simple as the name suggests, a cheese and black pepper pizza. What a phenomenal combo! Pecorino cheese and black pepper, along with olive oil are the base flavors for this pizza recipe. We absolutely LOVE this pizza!
Ingredients
- 1 batch no knead pizza dough use 1/3 of the dough
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin, we love MINA olive oil
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Pecorino Cheese grated
- 1/4 cup black peper freshly grated, coarsely grated
Instructions
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Make sure your pizza dough is ready ahead of time. We love the no knead pizza dough for this recipe. https://foodallianceblog.com/no-knead-overnight-pizza-dough/.
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Preheat your oven to 500 degreesF (or the highest setting you have).
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Place a baking steel or pizza stone in the oven to preheat as well.
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Flatten the dough to your desired thickness.
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Spread the olive oil over the crust generously.
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Add the mozzarella, which is optional for a thin layer of extra stretch to the pizza.
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Top that with the pecorino cheese and freshly cracked pepper.
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The pizza is ready to go into the oven.
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Bake for 8-10 minutes until the dough is puffy and crispy at the bottom. You may optionally broil the tops of the pizza for 2 minutes if you want those brunt spots on your dough.
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If using a pizza oven, cook the pizza for just 3-5 minutes and you'll achieve the perfect crust and burnt tops.
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Cut the pizza and enjoy right away!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Cacio e Pepe Pizza Pro Tips
- Plan your dough in advance if using the No Knead Pizza Dough. Otherwise you may use the regular BEST Pizza Dough Recipe. As a last resort, you could totally opt for store bought pizza dough or your favorite pizzeria dough.
- Use flour rather than cornmeal as a preference for stretching the douhg.
- You can bake the pizza with ice cubes in the oven for a super crisp crust.
- Use quality olive oil to flavor your dough, we love MINA olive oil. Since this recipe relies on very few ingredients, make sure to use quality ones.
- A thin layer of mozzarella cheese is optional, but adds a cheesy stretch which our family LOVES. It's completely optional if you're not looking for that stretch.
- Use quality peppercorns and freshly cracked peppers for this recipe, avoid using pre-ground pepper.
- Bake on a baking steel, baking sheet, or in an outdoor pizza oven--it's just as Perfect because the dough is the best!
The Cheese Science
- Pecorino Romano (Essential). It's a sheep’s milk, with a sharp and salty flavor, and traditionally Roman.
- Mozzarella (Structural Support). Helps with the melting consistency, prevents dryness and softens salt intensity.
Why Most Recipes Fail
Pecorino is lower moisture and higher salt than mozzarella. If used exclusively without mozzarella, at high heat, it can separate and release oil if layered too thick. The best balance is 70% Pecorino with 30% mozzarella for home ovens.
Black Pepper Technique (The Game Changer)
- The Bloom Method: Lightly toast cracked pepper in a dry pan (30–60 seconds).
- Use half before baking and finish with fresh cracked pepper after baking.
Why it matters? Because raw pepper has a sharp bite while bloomed pepper is warm and aromatic.
Can I use Parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano cheese?
YES! While Pecorino is the classic choice for cacio e pepe pasta, today we're making pizza. We tested a few cheeses and believe any hard, aged cheese works beautifully here. Even Asiago.
Which Pizza Dough do I use?
The million dollar question for every homemade pizza recipe! We LOVE the No Knead Pizza Dough for ease, convenience and for it's rustic crust which pairs beautifully with our toppings. Our homemade pizza dough works just as well!
Is It Spicy?
The cacio e pepe pizza is peppery, so it's more aromatic, and not chili spicy.
Why It Can Taste Too Salty
- Too much Pecorino
- Pre grated cheese (anti caking agents that are added to pre grated cheese affect melt)
- No mozzarella buffer
- Salt heavy dough
- Overbaking
What to Serve with Cacio e pepe?
Since the flavors are super simple here, the sky's the limit! You can make this a meal and serve it along meats and chicken like a Ribeye Steak, Chicken Scallopini, Best NY Strip Steak, Chicken Caprese.
Or serve it along side a light salad like Wedge Salad, Panzanella Salad, Peach Burrata Salad, Caprese Salad.