Lemony Cacio e Pepe
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 612
- Total Fat
- 28
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Carbohydrates
- 60
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 3
- Protein
- 30
- Cholesterol
- 82
- Sodium
- 820
- Total: 35 min
- Active: 25 min
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for garnish
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and drain.
- Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to a large, straight-sided pan and heat over medium. Once melted, add the pepper and toast for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add in about 1 1/4 cups of the reserved pasta water and the lemon zest, bring to a light simmer. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cooked spaghetti, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, toss the pasta and cheese together, incorporating about 1/2 additional cup more pasta water. Keep tossing the pasta until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is silky and coating the pasta, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and chives and toss to combine. Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper.