The 20-Minute Dinner I've Made a Thousand Times

Instructions

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1. 1 Bring the water and salt to a boil. This may feel like it’s not enough water, but it is! After you cook the pasta, the water will be concentrated with starch, which you’ll use to thicken the sauce.
2. 2 Cook the pasta until al dente, following the package instructions. Use a measuring cup or ladle to reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Then, drain the pasta into a colander set in the sink.
3. 3 While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large high-sided skillet set over medium heat. The butter will get foamy on top. Stir it continuously with a rubber spatula. In 2 to 4 minutes, (timing depends on how hot your skillet is) you’ll see brown bits form on the bottom of the skillet and the butter will smell nutty. Reduce the heat to low.
4. 4 Immediately, stir the black pepper into the brown butter and cook for 30 seconds to enhance its flavor. Carefully whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook for about 1 minute. Add the grated pecorino Romano, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the sauce looks smooth and creamy.
5. 5 Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. If the sauce looks dry, add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until it evenly coats the pasta and looks creamy. Serve with extra ground black pepper, if you’d like. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!