Entree: Italy – Tuscany – Pici Cacio e Pepe (Thick hand-rolled pasta tossed with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 5 min

Cook 12 min

Total 20 min

Ingredients

- 12 oz (340 g) pici or thick spaghetti
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) finely grated Pecorino Romano
- 2 tbsp (12 g) coarsely cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp (18 g) coarse salt for the pasta water
- Reserved starchy pasta water, 1 to 2 cups (240 to 480 ml) as needed

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the coarse salt. Add the pasta and cook until very al dente (1–2 minutes less than package directions for spaghetti; pici may vary). Reserve 1 to 2 cups (240–480 ml) of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, toast the cracked black pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant; remove from heat.
3. Add about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the toasted pepper and bring to a very gentle simmer for 30 seconds to bloom the spice.
4. Off the heat, add the grated Pecorino Romano to the pepper–water and whisk vigorously to form a creamy, loose emulsion; add more reserved water as needed a little at a time to reach a saucy consistency.
5. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss vigorously (or finish tossing in a roomy bowl) until the cheese has emulsified and coats the noodles smoothly. If the sauce is too thick or grainy, add splashes of reserved pasta water and continue tossing until silky.
6. Taste and adjust with a final sprinkle of grated Pecorino and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.