Rome, Lazio
The Roman pasta technique that seems simple and is not: Pecorino Romano DOP and toasted black pepper fused into a creamy coating on tonnarelli or spaghetti with nothing but pasta water and patience. There is no cream, no butter, no oil. The emulsion is achieved by tempering the grated cheese with pasta water at the right temperature (70°C — above this the cheese seizes into clumps), then tossing the pasta vigorously in the pan to create friction and emulsification.
Sharp, salty, spicy, creamy — the paradox of a sauce made with no cream, demonstrating that pasta water and technique can produce an emulsion as silky as any butter sauce
{"Pecorino Romano DOP finely grated (use a microplane); mix with coarse black pepper freshly cracked","Reduce pasta water in a wide pan to concentrate starch (starch is the emulsifier)","Temper: ladle hot pasta water (70°C) into the cheese paste in a bowl; stir to cream","Toss drained pasta in the pan with a ladleful of pasta water; pour tempered cheese cream in off the heat","Vigorous tossing or stirring for 60 seconds while tilting the pan — this is the technique"}
{"Toast the black pepper in a dry pan before grinding — releases the volatile oils essential to the dish","Tonnarelli (thick square spaghetti) is the traditional Roman form; spaghetti is acceptable","A 50/50 blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano is used in some trattorias to reduce the salt edge"}
{"Water too hot when added to cheese — it seizes and turns grainy","Not reducing pasta water enough — insufficient starch means poor emulsification","Adding too much water at once — the sauce breaks and pools at the bottom of the pan"}
La Cucina Romana — Livio Jannattoni