A Really Good Easy Pasta

Thanks to Amanda Hesser, who printed this is the New York Times Magazine. This is a delicious meal whipped up in fifteen minutes or less. Add a nice salad and a half decent bottle of wine and you're in business...


Bavette Cacio e pepe or Linguini with 2 cheeses

Sea Salt or Kosher
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
1/4 cup finely grated pecorino-Romano cheese
1/2 pound of DeCecco linguini fini (or similar dried imported) DeCecco is best, IMHO
2 TBS unsalted butter, chilled (Buy Plugra or similar imported butter)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS very coarse, freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in enough salt so that it tastes seasoned. Meanwhile, grate and mix the cheeses together. When the water boils, add the linguini and cook it for teh specified time on teh package, stirring occasionally. Near the end of cooking, scoop out about 1/2 cup of cooking water and reserve.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Drop in the butter, oil and 1/2 TBS pepper and stir with tongs, lifting and folding the pasta together. Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pot and place it over medium-high heat. Cook for a minute, stirring to emulsify the sauce, add more of the reserved liquid if required. Test a noodle to see if it's done. It should still be firm in the center, though not as stiff as licorice. Remove from the heat and sprinkle half the cheese over the pasta. Blend once more and then divide the pasta among the plates passing the rest ofthe cheese and the pepper at the table.