SafePlates

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) of spaghetti (use gluten-free spaghetti if needed)
• 1 cup (100 g) of finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or a suitable dairy-free alternative)
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) of freshly ground black pepper
• Salt for pasta water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
2. While the pasta cooks, toast the black pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water before draining the spaghetti.
4. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the toasted pepper. Toss well to coat the pasta in the pepper.
5. Remove the skillet from heat. Add half of the grated cheese and about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the reserved pasta water. Stir vigorously until the cheese melts and forms a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Ensure the skillet is not too hot to prevent the cheese from becoming grainy.
6. Mix in the remaining cheese, continue stirring until smooth.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated cheese and black pepper if desired.

Tip

Suggest using about 2 tablespoons of additional cheese for garnishing to maintain balance in flavor.