Cacio e Pepe

This is seriously one of my favorite pasta dishes. It's so easy to make and tastes so good. Cacio e pepe literally means cheese and pepper. I use very finely ground black pepper and the highest quality grated Romano cheese. Believe me, the quality of your cheese makes or breaks this dish.














Cacio e Pepe

1 pound dry linguine pasta
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups very finely grated Pecorino Romano
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente; drain, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
Toss the hot pasta in a large serving bowl with the butter to coat. While tossing the linguine, gradually sprinkle the linguine with the cheese, black pepper and enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt to taste and serve.