Master Rome's Most Iconic Pasta in 15 Minutes Flat with Only Three Staples

This legendary Roman dish uses a brilliant technique that turns coarse black pepper and rich Pecorino Romano cheese into a glossy, decadent coating. It comes together in just fifteen minutes with a handful of basic ingredients, proving that true culinary genius lies in absolute simplicity.

For the ultimate texture, choose premium bronze-die extruded pasta rings that effortlessly catch every bit of the punchy sauce.

Here’s what you need: 120 g of paccheri or calamarata pasta, 50 g of butter, 15 g of Pecorino cheese, 15 g of Parmesan cheese, 1–2 g of freshly ground black pepper, 1–2 g of freshly ground pink pepper, 1–2 g of freshly ground green pepper, 150 ml of water.

Cook the pasta in salted water for about 15 minutes until al dente (slightly undercooked). Drain the water, but be sure to reserve a few spoonfuls for the sauce.

Mix three types of freshly ground peppercorns (it’s important that all the peppercorns are whole, so they can be crushed rather than ground into a powder). Pour water into a pan, add the mixture of three peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Add the al dente pasta along with a small amount of the lightly salted water it was cooked in.

Simmer the pasta with the sauce until done (another minute or two), add butter (cold!), thicken the sauce, and at the very end (before removing from the heat), add the mixture of finely grated cheeses, stir well, and serve on a hot plate.