Recipe: Spaghetti Pecorino Romano

SPAGHETTI PECORINO ROMANO

"Balducci's in New York City inspired this recipe. It takes the suburb out of macaroni and cheese and smacks it down in the southern Italian countryside. Serve it with nothing more than an exciting salad."

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
4 quarts water
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

In a large bowl, toss the Pecorino Romano cheese with the pepper. There should be enough pepper flecks to speckle the cheese.

In a large pot, bring the salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just done. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 3/4 cup of the water.

Add the pasta to the bowl of cheese and toss, adding the water it was cooked in if it is necessary to keep the spaghetti moist. Drizzle with oil, if desired, and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Good to Eat by Burt Wolf