Like the Italian pasta, these scrambled eggs get their flavor from heaps of cheese and black pepper.
Long before Italians knew what a tomato was, Roman shepherds made cacio e pepe, meaning "cheese and pepper", with aged Pecorino, black pepper, and dried pasta from their sacks. The dish eventually made its way to restaurants and households as one of the simplest Italian pastas you can make—no skillet sauce required.
Cacio e Pepe is a traditional Roman pasta dish that uses cheese and cracked black pepper as the key components. The simple ingredients create a rich and creamy sauce that comes together in 15 minutes. We also loosely use the term for dishes that use the two basic ingredients as their dominant flavor.
Here, we brought the flavors of the Roman pasta dish to an even simpler medium: scrambled eggs.
No need to fuss over tradition and use Pecorino Romano; save it for your pasta. Parmesan cheese works just as well in this recipe. (If you have Parmigiano Reggiano, even better.)
Parmigiano Reggiano (not to be confused with grocery Parm) is a hard cheese made from cow’s milk. Aged for at least two years, Parmigiano appears as a staple in many classic Italian dishes such as lasagna and risotto. Elsewhere, we use it to top soups, salads, and sauces. Its sharp and nutty flavor varies in intensity depending on its age and seasonal variety.
Toast sourdough: Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add sourdough slice and toast until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Flip and toast the other side. Set aside and let the pan cool for a bit.
Whisk eggs: Crack eggs into a bowl. Beat with a fork or a whisk until no whites remain.
Cook eggs: Place the same pan over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter. Once pan is warm and butter is melted, add the eggs. Shower Parmesan cheese evenly over the wet eggs. Push and stir eggs with a rubber spatula until cheese is melted and the egg forms moist, fluffy curds.
Serve: Place eggs on top the sourdough toast. Garnish eggs generously with more grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper. Serve while still hot.
