Everyone knows about Parmesan, also known as Parmigiano Reggiano, but what about Pecorino Romano? It is aged and hardened especially for grating and can be exactly the same way that Parmesan is. So what’s the difference? One, Parmesan is made of cow’s milk whereas Pecorino comes from ewe’s milk. Two, Pecorino has a saltier and sharper taste and brings a lot of Italian dishes to a new level. Cheese is a fascinating subject with so many varieties in the world there is much to learn.
Creamy Pecorino & Lemon Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
One you master making a creamy pecorino sauce, you can use it for practically every Italian pasta recipe. Why not enjoy this sauce with lemon pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and some freshly ground pepper.
Scale
Ingredients
- 450g (16 oz) dried pasta, e.g. spaghetti, fettucini or trompetti
- 175 (6 oz) Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- 350ml (12 fl oz) double (heavy) cream
- salt and pepper
- shredded basil, as garnish
Instructions
- Add the fettucini to a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
- Mix the cheese with the grated lemon rind and cream and season to taste.
- Heat gently, season to taste and pour over pasta.
Notes
- Since the pasta is all jazzed up, it would be best to eat something plain with it, e.g. grilled fish and/or roasted vegetables. Even a green salad will go well with it.
- If you would like to have a lighter and healthier version of this pasta dish, substitute the cream with crème fraîche.
- For an even stronger lemon flavour you can use the rind of 2 lemons.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 587
- Sodium: 589 mg
- Fat: 32.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 19.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.7 g
- Fiber: 8.6 g
- Protein: 14.3 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Jeanne says
Oh how wonderfully light and delicious that looks – like spring in a bowl!
Ek skuld jou nog ‘n e-os van MAANDE terug – het gisteraand jou boodskap in my Yahoo inbox gekry. Jammer!!! Ons gaan Vrydag vir twee weke SA toe, maar sal definitief op ‘n stadium ‘n LANG brief terugskryf!
Kevin says
Pecorino Romano is one of my favorite cheeses! This lemon and cheese pasta dish sounds really good. Nice photos!
Patricia Scarpin says
I love lemon pasta and would like to give it a go with pecorino,too!
Ruth says
What a glorious dish…I’m drooling and it’s only 9AM!
Sorry it slipped through the cracks and missed out on last week’s Presto Pasta Night Roundup. It will be up front with a couple of others that slipped through the cracks.
Don’t forget the big one year Presto Pasta Night Birthday party in two weeks! Hope to see you there.
Psychgrad says
Looks really good! I have a bunch of Romano cheese to use up – this recipe would be a great way to use it. Thanks.
Food and Recipes says
Nice post. I was just wondering what can I use as a substitute for Pecorino Romano? Can I use ordinary cheese? Thanks for posting this. Great photos by the way.
–Stephen
michelle says
This recipe is very versatile and forgiving. Have fun experimenting!
★★★★★