Roman Pecorino and Black Pepper Pasta (Printable Version)

Classic Roman pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, delivering bold flavors with minimal ingredients.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli

→ Cheese

02 - 4.2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

→ Seasonings

03 - 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, freshly cracked
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Optional

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for extra creaminess

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then cook the spaghetti until just al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, toast the freshly cracked black pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add 1 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper. Reduce heat to low.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, allowing the pasta to absorb some peppery water.
05 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
06 - If desired, add butter and toss until melted and emulsified.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and more cracked black pepper.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It transforms three humble ingredients into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The creamy sauce forms without any cream, just smart technique and a little pasta water magic.
  • You can have dinner on the table faster than ordering takeout, and it feels infinitely more satisfying.
  • It teaches you a fundamental pasta skill that will change how you cook Italian food forever.
02 -
  • If you add the cheese while the pan is too hot, it will seize into a grainy mess instead of melting into silk.
  • Using pre-grated cheese from a bag will ruin the sauce because of the anti-caking agents. Grate it fresh or don't bother.
  • The vigorous tossing isn't optional. It emulsifies the fat from the cheese with the starchy water to create creaminess.
  • Pasta water is your safety net. Keep it nearby and add it in small splashes whenever the sauce tightens up.
03 -
  • Toast your pepper until it smells bold and almost floral. Undertoasted pepper is a missed opportunity.
  • Take the pan off the heat before adding cheese. Residual heat is enough, and it prevents the dreaded scrambled cheese disaster.
  • Use a wooden spoon or tongs and toss with confidence. Timid stirring won't emulsify the sauce.
  • Serve in warm bowls. Cold dishes will cool the pasta too fast and the sauce will seize.
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