Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 250 g pizza dough, room temperature
Cheeses and Cream
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, low-moisture, shredded
- 80 g taleggio cheese, rind removed, cut into small cubes
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Seasoning
- 3 g black peppercorns, freshly and coarsely cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 756 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 2030 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Potassium
- 141 mg
- Calcium
- 559 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 21 mg
- Phosphorus
- 301 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 266 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 47 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees Celsius (480 degrees Fahrenheit). Allow the stone to heat for at least 45 minutes to ensure a crispy crust.
Stretch the room-temperature pizza dough evenly into a 25-centimeter (10-inch) circle on a lightly floured pizza peel.
Spread the heavy cream evenly across the surface of the dough, leaving a 1.5-centimeter border for the crust. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and cubed taleggio evenly over the cream.
Carefully slide the assembled pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake until the crust is blistered and deep golden brown, and the cheeses are bubbling vigorously.
Remove the pizza from the oven using the peel. Immediately shower the hot surface with the finely grated Parmesan cheese and the coarsely cracked black pepper.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic cacio e pepe flavor, lightly toast whole black peppercorns in a dry skillet until fragrant, then grind them coarsely just before topping the pizza.
- Taleggio adds a creamy, earthy funk that mimics the luxurious emulsion of a traditional cacio e pepe sauce. Ensure the rind is washed or gently scraped before cubing to prevent bitterness.
- Adding the Parmesan post-bake allows it to melt gently into the hot cream and mozzarella without splitting, preserving its delicate nutty flavors.
- If your oven goes higher than 250 degrees Celsius, use the highest possible setting and reduce the baking time accordingly. Great pizza thrives on extreme heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly.
Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, covering with a lid for the last minute to melt the cheese.
Troubleshooting
Soggy or pale center crust
Cause: The pizza stone was not preheated long enough, or too much cream was applied.
Fix: Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes directly on the bottom rack of the oven.
Prevention: Ensure the stone preheats at the highest temperature for at least 45 minutes before baking. Measure the cream carefully.
Parmesan clumps and turns greasy
Cause: The Parmesan was baked in the oven at high heat, causing the proteins and fats to separate.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can be blotted lightly with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
Prevention: Always add hard, aged cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino after the pizza comes out of the oven.
Cultural Context
Cacio e pepe, translating to cheese and pepper, is one of Rome's four classic pastas, historically relied upon by shepherds due to the long shelf life of aged cheese and black peppercorns. Translating this minimalist masterpiece into a pizza requires substituting the starchy pasta water emulsion with a rich cream and melting cheese base. The addition of Taleggio brings a complex, melting profile that elevates the simple flavor combination into a decadent flatbread.
