When one of my good friends went to Italy over spring break, I knew she’d be back with mouth-watering stories about delicious Italian pasta, pizza, and more. Her tales inspired us to create our own dorm-cooked versions, including  this hearty pasta dish. The recipe is simple, but the result is extremely flavorful. It was easy enough to cook with “borrowed” pots and pans in the Butt A kitchen but zesty enough to have me still craving it four days later.

We took classic spaghetti, smothered it in salty cheeses, and sprinkled it with potent cracked black pepper with a hint of smooth olive oil to create a perfect blend of powerful flavors that kept us full and happy as we drifted off into a blissful food coma.

Cacio e Pepe
Adapted from saveur.com
Serves four.

Salt, to taste
1 lb. spaghetti
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup finely grated Cacio de Roma
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Lemon zest, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a 6 quart pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes until al dente.

3. Reserve one cup of pasta water and drain pasta.

4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

5. Add cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes, and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

6. Ladle 3/4 cup pasta water into skillet and bring to a boil.

7. Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet and spread it evenly.

8. Sprinkle Pecorino Romano, Cacio de Roma, and Parmesan cheeses over pasta.

9. Toss vigorously to combine (about 2 minutes) until sauce is creamy and clings to pasta without clumping. Add pasta water if necessary.

10.  Sprinkle extra cheese and lemon zest to taste, then enjoy!