What’s For Dinner?
Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano, Pancetta and Black Pepper
I’m stealing this recipe from this week’s The Week, but I’m adding pancetta because I am a wild and crazy lady.
The Week says: “This Roman dish is ‘the best quick meal’ we’ve ever tasted, said Yvonne Ruperti in Cook’s Illustrated. Though made with ‘just three main ingredients (cheese, pepper and pasta),’ it can still be tricky. To keep this ‘Roman spaghetti party’ from turning into a cheesy clump, we found a simple answer: add cream.”
Ingredients
6 oz Pecorino Romano, 2 cups finely grated and 1 cup coarsely grated
1 LB spaghetti
table salt
2 TBSP heavy cream
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
A handful of pancetta, pan-fried until crisp
Place finely grated Pecorino Romano in medium bowl. Set colander inside large bowl. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Drain pasta into colander, reserving cooking water. Pour 1 1/2 cups cooking water into liquid measuring cup and discard remainder; return pasta to now-empty bowl. Slowly whisk 1 cup of reserved pasta water into finely grated cheese until smooth. Whisk in cream, oil, and black pepper. Gradually pour mixture over pasta, tossing to coat. Add pancetta and toss again. Let pasta rest 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, adjusting consistency with remaining pasta water. Serve, passing coarsely grated Pecorino Romano separately. Serves 4-6.
