Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients

• Spaghetti

  Dry pasta, enriched

  200g

• Peppercorn

  Whole peppercorns, black

  7g

• Pecorino Romano

  Italian Classics Imported Grated or Shredded Cheese - Wegmans

  160g

• Kosher Salt

  Kosher, David's

  15g

Directions

1. Prepare your mise en place (the French world for having all your ingredients prepped and measured) in advance. Crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. (If you do not have a mortar and pestle, use the bottom of a saucepan to crush them on a chopping board.) Grate the Pecorino with a Microplane (grater).
2. Bring the water to a boil, season with the salt, and add the spaghetti. Stir gently at the beginning to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
3. Meanwhile, toast ¾ of the pepper in a pan over low heat until aromatic, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, and gently add 2 to 3 ladlefuls of starchy pasta water to the pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the cheese crusts and simmer.
4. When the spaghetti is half-cooked (after about six minutes), transfer it to the pan with the peppercorns and starchy pasta water, reserving the remaining cooking water. Transfer another ladleful of water to the pan. After a few more minutes, remove the Pecorino rinds, and place them in a non-stick pan over medium heat to toast on both sides. When nicely toasted, remove and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, continue cooking the spaghetti until two minutes before al dente (cooked “to the tooth” with a slight bite). Turn off the heat and allow the pasta to rest; there should be a bit of cooking water left in the pan.
6. After about a minute off the heat, begin adding the grated cheese to the pasta from above, shaking the pan all the while to coat evenly. Add cooking water as needed to help the sauce bind; the sauce will thicken as the pasta sets.
7. Serve the pasta in a warmed dish. Top with the remaining pepper and a little bit of freshly grated Pecorino. Finely slice the toasted Pecorino rinds and sprinkle on top.
8. http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200512-cacio-e-pepe-italys-beloved-3-ingredient-pasta-dish