A very
simple recipe that I've actually seen in a few different
cookbooks with almost
no difference between them.
I wholly recommend this dish as a quick and very tasty one to make, one that I know I've never even come close to tiring of, and one that is easy to tweak a little to fit ones tastes. The strong pepper taste meshes very well with the flavor of the pecorino.
Spaghetti with Pecorino and Black Pepper
8 oz. Spaghetti
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper to taste (about 1 Tbsp works as a good starting point)
Preparation:
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. When the spaghetti is al dente, drain quickly, and return to the pot. Add the olive oil, pecorino, and pepper, and toss well. Serve immediately, preferrably in heated bowls.
Makes 2 servings.
Garlic is also an optional ingredient - a few cloves minced up and added at the end is yummy, though definitely not necessary. Not necessary? How can I say such a thing? Because I've had it both ways, and adding garlic changes the flavor - and amazingly, may not necessarily be an improvement. Pecorino is a strong cheese, and there's also a large amount of pepper, which is also strong. The flavor of the garlic in some ways fights the pepper and cheese flavors.
To turn it into a full meal, serve with a nice salad, and fresh, warm foccacia with a mix of olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese for dipping.
And note that the comments below, especially the suggestions about replacing the pecorino with parmesan and adding basil, will make it into a completely different dish - as the strong taste of the pecorino blended with the pepper gives a taste that is totally different than one you could find with another cheese, especially the mild parmesan.
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