Cacio e Pepe
Serves 6
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 lbs dried bucatini, (preferably a high-quality artisan brand, such as Giuseppe Cocco, Alfeltra)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (about ¼ stick)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh black pepper, coarsely ground
3½ cups Locatelli Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (approximately 8 oz)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water and carefully ladle into a large sauté pan.
Strain the cooked pasta into a colander.
In the pan with pasta water on high heat, add the butter, olive oil, and a few good twists of fresh black pepper.
Once the water is boiling, add the strained pasta to the pan and allow it to get very hot.
Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the grated Pecorino Romano, while stirring well until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce.
Season with salt, if needed, and serve with additional cheese and more cracked black pepper.
