Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients

• Spaghetti

  dry, enriched

  8 oz or 227g

• Butter

  unsalted

  3 tbsp or 43g

• Olive oil

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Black pepper

  ground

  1 tsp or 2g

• Pecorino romano cheese

  imported, grated or shredded, Wegmans

  150g

Directions

1. Add 2 quarts water (8 cups) to a Dutch oven (or stockpot wide enough to fit spaghetti). The water will be very shallow because we want it to be very starchy. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and stir in salt then add spaghetti. Cook pasta until barely al dente (usually a few minutes less than package directions), stirring often so the spaghetti doesn't stick. See next step to complete while pasta is cooking.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pepper, then cook for one minute. Set aside until pasta is done cooking.
3. Once pasta is al dente, reserve 1 1/4 cups pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander and set aside.
4. Slowly whisk in 1 cup reserved pasta water into the butter off heat. Let stand 3 minutes.
5. Gradually whisk cheese into butter water a little at a time until combined. Turn heat to LOW and whisk constantly until cheese is completely melted and smooth.
6. Add half of the pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Add remaining pasta and toss until evenly combined, adding additional pasta water if needed to loosen pasta.
7. Taste, and season with extra salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm.
8. (source: https://carlsbadcravings.com/cacio-e-pepe/)