Real Italian Style

Bon Appetit dubs this a "minimalist" pasta sauce -- butter, black pepper and two cheeses, but praises the finished product's creamy sophistication. Uptown macaroni and cheese, if you will. The secret is to use some of the pasta water in the sauce because the butter and water will bind to one another to make a creamy sauce, rather than an oily one.

CACIO E PEPE
6 oz. pasta
3 T sweet butter, divided into pats
1 teas. freshly-cracked black pepper
3/4 cup finely-grated Parmesan
1/3 cup grated Pecorino cheese

Cook the pasta until two minutes before it's done. Save 3/4 of a cup of the water and drain the rest off.

Melt 2 T butter in a frying pan, add the pepper and cook for 1 minute until the pepper is toasted. Add the leftover pasta water and simmer the butter and pepper. Add the drained pasta and the last bit of butter and shake the Parmesan over it all. Stir your skillet over low heat until the cheese melts, then take the pan off of the stove and add the Pecorina, stirring well to mix everything.

I'm going to try this with olive oil, chopped garlic and a teas. of red chili flakes.

Who knew? Restaurants usually add Parmesan cheese to a sauce in the kitchen plus a little olive oil or butter before bringing it out to the diner. Then your server asks if you want Parmesan.