Boil water in a large pot. Add salt until the water tastes like the sea. This is crucial for flavoring the pasta.
Add penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, grate the parmesan cheese and pecorino romano cheese into a bowl.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add a pinch of black pepper and toast for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add a ladle of the reserved pasta water to the skillet, creating a starchy base. Gradually add the grated cheese, stirring constantly to create a smooth, creamy sauce.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat it evenly with the cheese sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated cheese and a generous grind of black pepper.
This recipe is perfect! The creamy texture, the balance of flavors, everything is on point. Highly recommended!
Really enjoyed this. Easy to make and the flavors were fantastic. The parmesan and pecorino combo is a winner.
It was okay, but not quite as good as I expected. The sauce wasn't as creamy as I hoped. Maybe I didn't use enough pasta water.
Wow! This is restaurant-quality pasta at home. The balance of the cheese and pepper was perfect. Highly recommend this recipe!
It was alright. A bit too salty for my taste, and I found the sauce separated a little. Might have added too much cheese.
