Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pour the cold water into a bowl and add the ice cubes and lemon juice. Stir to combine.1½ cups cold water, 1 lemon, 8-10 ice cubes
- Shave the pears on a mandolin. The slices should be thin enough to see-through. Transfer the slices to the ice bath and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the pears and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.1 red anjou pear
- Fill a large pot half of the way with water. *** Place it over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just a little undercooked.225g (8oz) uncooked spaghetti
- While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, pour the olive oil into a large skillet. Add the pepper and place the skillet it over medium-low heat.¼ cup olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh ground pepper
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage leaves and fry until they turn a darker shade of green and the edges are golden. Transfer the sage leaves to a plate lined with a paper towel. Set aside.8 fresh sage leaves
- When the pasta is ready, reduce the heat under the pan to low. Add a ladleful of the pasta water to the pan and wait for it to stop bubbling. Add the pasta and a third of the cheese. Toss until the cheese disappears. Add another third of the cheese and another splash of the pasta water. A sauce should be starting to form. Add the remaining cheese and a little bit more pasta water if the pan starts to look a little dry. Toss until a smooth silky sauce coats each strand.85g (3oz) high-quality pecorino Romano
- Pile the pasta onto two plates. Sprinkle each with additional fresh ground pepper and pecorino. Finish the pasta with a crown of shaved pear and a few crispy sage leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
** The cheese will more readily melt into the sauce the finer it’s shredded. Make sure to use a good quality cheese to prevent seizing.
*** Cook the pasta in less water than usual, so the pasta water will be extra starchy.