Cacio e Pepe

Yield

2 servings

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 6oz pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini, or spaghetti)
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed, divided
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 0.75 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan
• 0.33 cup finely grated Pecorino
• Optional: peeled, deveined small shrimp

Instructions

1. Bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot.
2. Brown the butter in a separate metal pot
3. Add pasta to the water and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Remove pasta from water and reserve 0.5 cup pasta cooking water.
4. If using, boil the shrimp in the pasta water for 3-7 minutes until some start floating, then drain.
5. Add pepper to butter and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.
6. Add 0.5 cup reserved pasta water to butter skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta. Reduce heat to low and add Grana Padano, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted.
7. Remove pan from heat; add Pecorino, stirring and tossing until cheese melts, sauce coats the pasta, and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve, optionally topped with shrimp.