Pici Cacio Cheese and Black Pepper

In this Italian first course recipe I put together two Italian traditions, one coming from Tuscany and the other coming from Rome. This first course Italian recipe is made with only 3 ingredients: pici, cacio cheese and black pepper. Pici is a traditional type of pasta coming from Tuscany, it looks like spaghetti a little bit more thick and rough; cacio is a traditional type of cheese typical from Rome, known also as Pecorino Romano cheese. The preparation of this recipe takes very short time and it is quite easy, you should only pay attention to obtain a good cheese cream. If you don't have Pici at home another type of pasta you can use to prepare this recipe is Bucatini of simply spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):
320 g of Pici (type of pasta)
200g of Cacio cheese (known also as Pecorino Romano cheese)
Black Pepper

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKIN TIME: 15 minutes

WINE: Chianti Doc (Red Wine)

PREPARATION
Let salted water boil for pasta. In the meantime grate cacio cheese.



When salted water boils add Pici. The cooking time of Pici is different if Pici are fresh or dry. In case of fresh Pici you will need less time, if Pici are dried you will need a little bit more of time, but usually if you follow the cooking time indicated on the packaging everything will be delicious. 1-2 minutes before the end of the cooking of Pici remove 2 cups of boiling water and keep it because you will need it to prepare the dressing of Pici.



When Pici are cooked drain them. Preheat a large pan on a low flame, add some spoons of water that you kept from Pici, add Pici and sprinkle with a part of grated cacio cheese, and stir.



In this way the water mixed with water should give a cream made with cacio cheese. Continue to add cacio cheese and stir and if you notice that the cream becomes to dry add little bit more of water, in the meantime add also black pepper.



Serve warm.



BUON APPETITO!