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Loading...A minimalist Roman classic that turns just three humble ingredients into a velvety, peppery pasta. The magic lies in technique: emulsifying sharp Pecorino Romano with starchy pasta water into a glossy sauce that clings to every strand.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 525 kcalCalories
- 18 gFat
- 10 gSaturated Fat
- 62 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 2 gSugar
- 22 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 210 mgPotassium
- 395 mgCalcium
- 2 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 185 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 400 g spaghetti or fresh tonnarelli
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for the cooking water
For the Sauce
- 200 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated on a Microplane
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
- 1 cup reserved hot pasta water, plus more as needed
Directions
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot, add the kosher salt, and stir. (The cheese is salty, so go easy on the salt here.)
- While the water heats, place the cracked black peppercorns in a wide dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast them for about 1 minute, swirling the pan, until fragrant; transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the starchy cooking water before draining.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated Pecorino Romano with 1/3 cup of the warm (not boiling) pasta water. Stir vigorously with a fork or small whisk until a thick, smooth paste forms. Add another splash of water if needed to loosen it; the mixture should resemble thick cream.
- Add the drained pasta and the toasted cracked pepper to the skillet used for the pepper. Toss over low heat for about 30 seconds to warm and bloom the spice, then remove the pan from the heat entirely.
- Pour the cheese paste over the pasta and add a few tablespoons of the reserved hot pasta water. Toss vigorously and continuously with tongs or a wooden spoon, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time, until a glossy, emulsified sauce coats every strand without clumping.
- Plate immediately, twirling the pasta into nests, and finish each portion with an extra grating of Pecorino Romano and a generous crack of fresh black pepper. Serve right away while hot and creamy.
Cook’s Notes
- Grate the Pecorino as finely as possible on a Microplane; coarse cheese will clump and refuse to melt into a smooth sauce.
- Always combine the cheese with warm (not boiling) water first to prevent it from seizing and turning rubbery when it hits the hot pasta.
- Never add olive oil to the pasta water; it will coat the noodles and prevent the cheese sauce from adhering.
- Work off the heat once you add the cheese paste. Direct high heat will break the emulsion and leave you with a greasy, clumpy mess.
- Freshly cracked peppercorns are essential. Pre-ground black pepper lacks the aromatic oils that make this dish sing.
