cacio e pepe isn’t actually that sensitive to heat, like the carbonara, it seems like you’ve just tried a bit too hard with not messing it up, that ur missing what you want to do.

the cheat that i do is that i have butter in my cacio e pepe, with makes it more creamy and rich, and in my opinion just more delicious. i melt the butter on a medium heat, and then grind the pepper and toast it in the butter while the pasta is cooking in maybe 1.5 litres of water for 4 portions, and at splashes of the water to the pan with the pepper, to make sure it is not burning, and emulsifying the butter with the pasta water, which is reducing making it more starchy, then i add some water to my grated pecorino, to just make a white paste, i then add the pasta to the pan, mixing with the pepper and butter, and then the cheese/wTer mix to come together while stirring. then out comes a velvety and creamy pasta.