Preparation
- Put the water on to boil with the salt. A small amount of water keeps plenty of starch in it, which binds the sauce later. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions and keep an eye on the time.
- Finely grate the pecorino. Put about half into a bowl and stir with a few tablespoons of hot pasta water to a smooth cream, using too little water rather than too much.
- Heat a large frying pan and toast the pepper in it until fragrant but not burnt. Pour in a cup of pasta water, which picks up the pepper aroma.
- When the spaghetti has 3 minutes of cooking time left, add a ladle of pasta water to the pan and lift the pasta straight from the pot into the pan.
- Add the pecorino cream and swirl the pan vigorously until the pasta is done. If needed, add pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings creamily to the spaghetti.
- Plate up straight away and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and a little fresh pepper.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Frascati or Verdicchio, well chilled
Fresh acidity and minerality cut the fat of the cheese cream, and the delicate bitter-almond note answers the pecorino.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingSparkling wine · good match
Franciacorta or Prosecco Brut
Bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate of cheese and fat without overpowering the pepper.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?Pale lager · good match
Helles or pilsner, well chilled
Hop bitterness and carbonation cut through the salty cheese cream and stand up to the pepper.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?