Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pepper & Pecorino Romano Cheese

I truly believe that simple food is oftentimes the best food. This recipe proves that for under $10 you can make a deliciously complex tasting meal that is healthy, budget, friendly, and still elegant.

Being a traditional semolina flour pasta purist, it took me awhile to come around to the idea of whole wheat pasta. Don't get me wrong, I am stickler for anything whole grain and "fibery." In the past however, whole grain pasta always left something to be desired. It was either a little too grainy tasting or I could never achieve the perfect al dente texture.


It turns out a heaping tablespoon of pepper, and a generous portion of Pecorino Romano cheese is exactly what I needed to become a whole wheat pasta fan. While this dish has no more than 3 ingredients, the spiciness of the pepper combined with the tang of Pecorino Romano cheese adds enough depth and interest so that you could really serve this to the most discerning of pasta lovers. Add a little arugula salad on the side (recipe to come in a bit) and you have yourself a easy, budget friendly, flavorful fall dinner.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pepper & Pecorino Romano Cheese

Adapted from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

Kosher Salt
1 lb of Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper (or you can cheat and use the ground stuff)
2 cups of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese *
1/2 cup of reserved pasta water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tiny pinch of salt. Drop in pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente (about 11 minutes.). Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Return the still-dripping pasta to the pot and remove from heat source. Stir in the reserved pasta water and toss while sprinkling in about 1 cup of the cheese and the pepper.

Serve immediately in pasta bowls with the remaining 1 cup Pecorino Romano on the side.

*make sure to use freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese tends to clump in the pasta and may not be evenly distributed deliciously throughout the dish!