Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe With Marjoram

We make this cacio e pepe by melting Gran Moravia with butter, black pepper and pasta water into a smooth, glossy sauce that is sharp, warming and deeply pepper-led. A touch of marjoram adds a gentle herbal lift. Paired with rigatoni, whose ridges hold the sauce inside each piece, this dish draws on Roman cacio e pepe, traditionally served with long pasta like tonnarelli or spaghetti but now often made with short shapes in modern trattorie. Originating in the Lazio countryside, it was once prepared by shepherds using aged cheese and dried pepper, relying on balance and technique rather than added ingredients.