Cacio e Pepe Pasta
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 2
- 250g/8.83ozs spaghetti, bucatini or tonnarelli pasta
- 1 1/4 cup or 125g/4ozs. fine to medium grated pecorino de Romana
- 80g/2.82ozs. butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
Step 1 - Boil the pasta in plenty of water (unsalted water, pecorino is already salty) for 6 minutes (knock two to three minutes off the cooking time). Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain.
Step 2 - Return the pasta water to the pot and add the butter and the grated pecorino cheese. Turn the heat up to medium high and simmer rapidly. At first it will look like the layer of butter will sit on top but give it a little whisk just to smooth the sauce. Once the golden butter layer disappears and it turns white and bubbly, add the pasta. It will look like there is too much liquid but cook the pasta in the liquid for another two or three minutes. In this time it will turn into a gorgeously creamy sauce. Add a generous amount of black pepper and extra pecorino and serve immediately. This pasta is really best straight away and doesn't refrigerate very well once cooked.