I had this at a popular pasta restaurant and just had to try and make a version at home. It’s a great pasta recipe using just what’s in your cupboards and fridge. With cooking a lot of the time the secret is one of two things, use more than you think you should of the main ingredient, or practice. However this time it’s both! If you think there’s too much pepper, butter and cheese try and fight the temptation to add less. Getting pasta water, butter and cheese to emulsify and stick to the pasta can be tricky at first but gets easier the more times you do it.
Ingredients
Serves 1
3 nests (about 80g) tagliatelle (or any pasta)
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp butter
40g Italian hard cheese (pecorino is traditional but whatever you have)
1/2 cup of pasta water
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp butter
40g Italian hard cheese (pecorino is traditional but whatever you have)
1/2 cup of pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and scoop out some pasta water partway through.
- Grind the black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.
- When the pasta is nearly cooked add the cracked pepper to a pan to toast.
- Melt in half the butter and add pasta water stirring vigorously to combine.
- Turn off the heat, and add in the rest of the butter, cheese and cooked pasta continuing to stir continuously.
Key Tip
Make sure to add enough pasta water to make a lovely silky, buttery cheesy sauce.
Suggestions for leftovers
Not really any leftovers that are going to spoil with this one!
