Cacio e Pere Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 ripe pear (Peeled, cored, and cut into small dice or thin slices)
• 4 tbsp Pecorino cheese (Generous spoonfuls; finely grated Pecorino Romano is easiest to emulsify)
• 80 g pasta (Any suitable long or short pasta)
• freshly cracked black pepper (To taste)
• 1 L water (For boiling the pasta; reserve some cooking water before draining)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the pear by peeling and coring it, then cut it into small dice or thin slices so it cooks quickly and distributes evenly through the pasta.

2. 2

   Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, finely grate the Pecorino and crack the black pepper. Place the cheese in a bowl and mix in a small splash of hot pasta water to form a smooth, thick cream; add the water gradually to prevent the cheese from clumping.

4. 4

   Add the prepared pear to a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Cook briefly, stirring, until it is warmed through and just tender while retaining some texture, about 2–4 minutes.

5. 5

   Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 120 ml (½ cup) of its cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the pear.

6. 6

   Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Pecorino cream and freshly cracked black pepper to the pasta, tossing continuously. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the cheese forms a glossy sauce that coats the pasta.

7. 7

   Taste and adjust the black pepper if needed. Serve immediately, while the Pecorino sauce is smooth and creamy.

Notes

The post provides the ingredients but does not specify cooking instructions; the method above is a practical reconstruction. The Italian saying cited means, approximately, “Don’t let the farmer know how good cheese is with pears.”

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian
• vegetarian
• quick
• sweet-savory
• stovetop