Description
A quick 20-minute Italian pasta dish featuring cheese and pepper.
Ingredients
Scale
- 200 g spaghetti or tonnarelli
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, toast the black pepper in a large, dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper and swirl to create a creamy base.
- Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the skillet. Toss quickly.
- Remove the skillet from the heat entirely. Gradually add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, tossing constantly and adding small amounts of reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth, creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Do not let the cheese clump.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use high-quality Pecorino Romano for the best flavor.
- Grate the cheese very finely; this helps it melt smoothly.
- Work quickly when adding the cheese off the heat to prevent it from seizing.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 75
Keywords: Cacio e Pepe, Italian pasta, quick dinner, cheese and pepper pasta, Pecorino Romano