RECIPE: CACIO E PEPE

Recipe Country of Origin: Italy

There are a million reasons to go to Italy- and authentic Cacio e Pepe is definitely one of them. So simple yet so delicious, this pasta takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and is like taking a bite out of a trip to Rome. Enjoy outside with a glass of cold white wine or a Negroni, and pretend you’re eating at an Italian trattoria. Follow with some tiramisu and a shot of espresso to cap off the meal (decaf is just fine– we won’t judge) and you’ll be well on your way to living la dolce vita. Buon appetito!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dried bucatini pasta

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the bucatini and cook until just al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain, reserving 1¼ cup of pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, toast the ground pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil, and cook until the butter has melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the drained pasta, 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, the grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano. Toss to coat the pasta well and season with salt. Add the remaining ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and tablespoon of butter, tossing to incorporate. Transfer to a platter and garnish with ground pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese. Then serve.