Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Trader Joe's mix of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan is a good substitute)
- 4 teaspoons roasted and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt, for the pasta water
Instructions:
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti or tonnarelli to the pot and cook until done (or it sticks to the wall ;).
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
- In a large bowl, mix the grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese together with the black pepper.
- In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the melted butter and toss to coat.
- Gradually add the reserved pasta water to the pan, tossing the pasta constantly, until a creamy sauce forms.
- Add the cheese and pepper mixture to the pan and continue to toss the pasta until the cheese is melted and evenly distributed.
- Serve the Cacio e Pepe hot, with additional grated cheese and black pepper, if desired.
- To return success, the chesse should blend with the pasta.