Bucatini cacio e pepe

Ingredients for 2 hungry people  

• 250g bucatini
• 120g pecorino cheese, medium to long aged
• 10g pepper
• 4g kosher salt

Procedure

1. Put on the stove 3L of water;
2. Grate the pecorino in a bowl;
3. Grind the pepper into a big pan, or a wok;
4. Salt the water and throw the pasta in;
5. Turn on the pan with the pepper;
6. Stir the pasta and around 13 of the cooking time, as soon as it becomes a little soft, put a dipper of cooking water into the pepper, then move the pasta to the pan, leaving the boiling water on the stove;
7. Add another 2 dippers of cooking water to the pasta in the pan, if it gets too dry just add some more;
8. Let it cook for the rest of the time in a similar way to risotto (see );
9. When it's almost done add another dipper of water to another bowl and while mixing with a fork add slowly the grated pecorino;
10. Take the pasta off the stove, while mixing it add the cheese sauce, serve warm.

Be careful: this pasta should be eaten warm, as soon as it's made, the cheese sauce should never get cold.

Be careful: don't add too much water to the pasta while cooking in the pan, you will need to overcook the pasta! You can always add some, but before adding the cheese it should be pretty dried up.

Be careful: don't add the cheese before getting off the stove and mix it carefully, if it sticks to the pan leave it as a residue.

Tip: it is easier to be in two people to make it, while someone prepares the cheese sauce the other can turn the pasta, so it won't stick.