Pecorino Romano PDO
Cheese with a full name.
Mature sheep’s milk cheese: bold and salty, the foundation of the sauce.
Few ingredients. Plenty of skill.
Cacio e pepe in Oropesa del Mar, Castellón
Pecorino, pepper and a sauce that needs no cream.
Cacio e pepe means “cheese and pepper”. At BIGA in Oropesa del Mar, we make it with eliche/fusilli or spaghetti alla chitarra, Pecorino Romano PDO, pepper ground in a mortar and toasted, and cooking water. Nothing else. Its character comes from the cheese, the aroma of pepper and a balanced sauce.
Anatomy of cacio e pepe.
Three ingredients around the pasta. Technique is the fourth star.
Pepper
Small, but never unnoticed.
Ground in a mortar and toasted, following Roman tradition. This releases its aromas and brings a peppery warmth that complements the Pecorino without hiding it.
Cooking water
Starch at work.
Starch released by the pasta helps bind the cheese and adjust consistency. Add it gradually.
Mantecatura
The movement that brings it together.
Mixing with controlled heat helps create an even, silky sauce that coats the pasta.
A sauce without cream, butter or egg.
Our cacio e pepe relies on Pecorino, pepper and cooking water. Creaminess comes from technique: excessive heat can make cheese clump, while too much water thins the sauce. Balance matters.
From Lazio’s pantry to the table.
Cacio e pepe belongs to the culinary tradition of Rome and Lazio. It is associated with pastoral cooking and ingredients that keep well, such as mature cheese, pepper and dried pasta. This explains its simplicity without establishing a date or inventor.
Contains milk from Pecorino Romano PDO. Check the menu for pasta allergens and possible traces. Check allergens ↗
Before the first bite.
How is it different from carbonara?
Cacio e pepe uses Pecorino, pepper and cooking water. BIGA’s carbonara also contains guanciale and egg yolk. They are distinct sauces.
Does BIGA’s cacio e pepe contain cream?
No. We add no cream, butter or egg to the sauce. Cooking water binds it with Pecorino Romano PDO.
Where can I eat cacio e pepe in Castellón?
At BIGA in Oropesa del Mar, in Castellón province. See the current menu and book online.
Rome is closer than you think.
Find us at Av. de Madrid 25, Local 5, Oropesa del Mar. Explore the menu and book online.