Cacio e Pepe

Preparation

• 1 Bring water to boil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add salt and spaghetti. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until al dente, about 9 minutes. Transfer hot cooked pasta to large bowl using tongs, reserving cooking water.
• 2 Meanwhile, melt butter in large, deep nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Carefully ladle about 1 cup of the hot pasta water into pan, stirring to mix. Bring to simmer.
• 3 Place 2 cups (500 ml) of the pecorino cheese in medium bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup (75 ml) of the pasta water, mixing well to create a thick paste; set aside. Transfer hot pasta to pan with pepper sauce, tossing to blend with the sauce. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the remaining pasta water to pan. Remove from heat. Add pecorino mixture and toss pasta to coat. Add remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) cheese tossing until well blended. (The sauce should be smooth and creamy and stick to the pasta, but not thin and watery. Add additional pasta water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, if pasta is too dry.) Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional grated pecorino and ground pepper, if desired.
• 4 Test Kitchen Tip: Pecorino cheese is an aged sharp, sometimes salty, sheep’s milk cheese. There are 4 main varieties, with the most well-known being Pecorino Romano. The cheese becomes more firm, crumbly and salty as it ages, which makes pecorino cheese ideal for grating. It’s best to purchase pecorino cheese cut from the wheel, and then grate fresh, just before using. For this recipe we recommend grating the cheese fine, using the smallest side of your box grater, or even a microplane, to help create a smooth sauce.