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.
Absolutely phenomenal! The creamy texture and the perfect amount of pepper make this dish irresistible. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!
Very enjoyable and easy to make. The nutmeg added a nice subtle flavor. Would recommend and make again.
Loved it! Easy to make and so flavorful. I used a little more pepper, and it was perfect.
The sauce separated on me, and it was quite salty. I'm not sure what went wrong, but I wasn't a fan.
Very good! Quick, easy, and tasty. The combination of parmesan and pecorino romano gave the sauce a great flavor.
