Lunch: Whole-Wheat Pasta with Pecorino and Pepper

Recipe by Ian Knauer We often take black pepper for granted, grinding it onto every dish in sight. But the classic Roman dish cacio e pepe puts this distinctive spice front and center, which is exactly where we have it in this heartier whole-wheat versio

Ingredients

1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 lb dried whole-wheat spaghetti
1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (4 1/2 ounces), divided
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Garnish: extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Toast peppercorns in a dry small skillet over medium-high heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant and beginning to pop, 2 to 3 minutes. Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or wrap in a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and press with bottom of a heavy skillet.
Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente.
Meanwhile, fill a large ceramic bowl with hot water to warm it. Just before pasta is done cooking, drain bowl but do not dry.
Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then quickly drain pasta (do not shake off excess water) and add to warm bowl. Sprinkle 1 1/4 cups cheese and 1/2 cup cooking water evenly over pasta and toss quickly. Toss in parsley (if using) and 2 teaspoons crushed pepper. If pasta seems dry, toss with some additional cooking water. Serve pasta immediately, sprinkled with remaining pepper and cheese. Serve additional cheese on the side.

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