If you're looking for a simple yet delicious pasta dish, chef Angela Hartnett's classic Italian recipe has one critical step that makes all the difference08:16, 24 May 2026Pasta is always a dependable go-to for a satisfying dinner, and the recipe needn't be elaborate to taste incredible. Celebrated chef Angela Hartnett recently revealed how you can create a show-stopping pasta dish worthy of a Hollywood star.‌In a recent episode of the Dish from Waitrose podcast, Angela rustled up a classic cacio e pepe for actor and director Jon Favreau. At its core, the sauce is made from just cheese and pepper.‌Angela's "critical" tip for elevating this straightforward pasta dish to something truly special actually comes down to how you prepare the peppercorns. When crafting the cacio e pepe sauce, you should avoid grinding the pepper directly into the mixture, reports the Express.‌Instead, Angela advised toasting the peppercorns in a frying pan for a couple of minutes to draw out their full flavour. In the TikTok video, Angela said: "So, just in a little pan, toast off your peppercorns. This is quite critical. You know you want the pepperiness, it's cacio e pepe."It only takes a few minutes to achieve. It's best to toast the peppercorns on the same day you're making the dish, so as not to lose any of its pepperiness when it comes to preparing the sauce.‌Once toasted, crush the peppercorns using a pestle and mortar, ensuring no whole peppercorns remain.As Angela uses gnocchi in this recipe, there is a shortage of the starch required to help emulsify the sauce. Angela suggested adding a small quantity of dried pasta to a pan of boiling water to release the natural starchiness.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌This mixture can then be incorporated into the sauce to bring everything together. Combine the cheese, toasted peppercorns and a few tablespoons of pasta water in a bowl, stirring until you achieve a thick paste.The cooked gnocchi and cacio e pepe sauce are then transferred to a pan, with pasta water added as required. Angela said: "Put on the heat as needed till it forms this soft, luxurious sauce that coats the pasta well."She serves the gnocchi alongside broccoli and toasted walnuts. Upon tasting the dish, Jon responded: "This is tremendous."‌The video has already clocked up over 24,400 views, garnering 1,517 likes and 11 comments at the time of writing. So if you fancy a straightforward pasta dish worthy of a chef — and a Hollywood star — here's how to recreate it in your own kitchen.Cacio e pepe gnocchi with broccoli & walnutsIngredients75g walnut halves230g pack British purple sprouting broccoli spears½ x 500g pack gnocchiTwo tbsp whole black peppercornsOne cup Parmesan, gratedOne cup pecorino, gratedTwo tbsp pasta water‌MethodToast the walnuts for two minutes in a dry frying pan, then roughly chop.Lightly toast two tbsp whole peppercorns on medium heat for one to two minutes until highly fragrant, then crush them to a fine, even grind in a pestle and mortar.Article continues belowTrim any woody ends from the broccoli and boil in a large pan of salted water for three minutes. Add the gnocchi and boil for three minutes more. Drain, reserving 50ml water.Combine the ground pepper with one cup grated Parmesan, one cup grated pecorino and two tbsp starchy pasta water to form a thick paste. Add the broccoli, gnocchi and water back into the pan, pour in the cacio e pepe sauce and warm through gently.Dish up straight away, finishing with a scattering of toasted walnuts.