Description
A classic Roman pasta made with just pasta, Pecorino, pepper, and butter — simple, creamy, and full of bold flavor in only 30 minutes.
Ingredients
8 oz uncooked pasta (bucatini recommended)
2 Tbsp butter (cut into 1-Tbsp chunks, optional*)
1 tsp freshly-ground coarse black pepper*
2 oz finely-grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
Boil the pasta water: Fill a large pot halfway with water (about 3 quarts). Bring to a rolling boil and season with ~2 Tbsp sea salt.
Bloom the pepper: While water heats, melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add black pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Turn off heat.
Cook pasta: Add pasta to boiling water and cook until just al dente.
Toss pasta in sauce:
Use tongs to transfer pasta to sauté pan.
Add ⅓ cup starchy pasta water and toss.
Add half of the cheese, toss to combine.
Add remaining cheese and toss again.
Add more pasta water if needed to thin out sauce.
Serve: Plate immediately, garnish with extra cheese and pepper. Best served hot!
Notes
Pasta shapes: Bucatini or spaghetti work best; for short pasta like rigatoni, use a spider strainer.
Cheese: Finely grate Pecorino Romano for the smoothest sauce.
Traditional method: You can skip the butter and use pasta water alone to create the emulsion.
Pro Tip: Work quickly when mixing cheese with hot pasta to avoid clumping—toss, don’t stir!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Pasta
- Method: Boil, Toss
- Cuisine: Italian
