Warm up a big bowl for mixing and serving the pasta - use some of the pasta water to heat the bowl, if you like. Meanwhile, grind the peppercorns very coarsely, preferably crushing them in a mortar with a pestle or in a spice grinder.Ģ. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. The cheese is at its best when aged only 8 to 10 months.Ģ tablespoon whole black peppercorns, or more to tasteġ 1/2 cups freshly grated pecorino cheese, or more to tasteġ.

Note: From “Lidia’s Italy.” Use a very good authentic pecorino, one produced in Lazio, Tuscany or Sardinia. Spaghetti with crushed black pepper and pecorino cheese You can find Noelle Carter on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest.

If you have any kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at hundreds of recipes from the L.A. Then simply rewarm before finishing the dish. If you’re not serving pasta or vegetables immediately, shock them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process, and drain them as soon as they cool so they don’t absorb extra water. Same with rice.įinally, as soon as whatever you are cooking has reached al dente, remove it from heat so it does not overcook. The cooking times of pasta can vary by brand I’ve found I almost always get the best results when I simply follow the instructions given by the producer. Vegetables should still be bright in color, with a texture that is tender yet firm. The outer layer of the pasta or rice should be fully cooked, but with a very thin dot of white in the center the texture should be soft but firm. To check for an al dente texture with pasta and rice as you’re cooking, take a noodle or grain out of the pot and bite into it. An Italian phrase, al dente literally means “to the tooth.” The term is often used in recipes to refer to the texture a food should have when it is cooked - most notably pasta - but also with rice and sometimes vegetables.

Definition of aldente