Name: Za'atar cacio e pepe
Ingredients: 400g dried bucatini (or other long pasta – adjust the cooking time, if necessary); 50g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 10g za&#39;atar, plus 1½ tsp extra to serve; 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 130g parmesan, very finely grated; 30g pecorino romano, very finely grated; 2½ tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp picked marjoram leaves (optional); salt

Main Midweek

Serves 4

Prep 10 min

Cook 35 min

We know we’ve messed with an Italian classic here, but za’atar does get along very well with the pepper and cheese. The technique for getting cacio e pepe right isn’t complicated, but you must follow it to a T to ensure a smooth, rich sauce. It’s also essential to use a wide pan and a little water to cook the pasta in because that ensures enough starch to emulsify the sauce. Grate the cheeses as finely as possible (if you have one, a Microplane grater is ideal here), so they melt happily into the sauce.

Follow the full recipe

Ingredients

400g	dried bucatini (or other long pasta – adjust the cooking time, if necessary)
50g	unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
10g	za'atar, plus 1½ tsp extra to serve
2 tsp	freshly cracked black pepper
130g	parmesan, very finely grated
30g	pecorino romano, very finely grated
2½ tbsp	olive oil
2 tsp	picked marjoram leaves (optional)
	salt

Method

1. In a wide pan on a medium-high heat, bring 1.3 litres of water to a boil, then season with three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt. Add the bucatini and cook for nine minutes, until al dente, stirring every now and then so the pasta doesn’t stick together or to the bottom of the pan, and to ensure it remains fully submerged. Drain the pasta, and reserve all the cooking water – you should have about 520ml left; if not, top up with a little hot water.

2. In a large, high-sided, nonstick sauté pan on a high heat, melt the butter until bubbling, then add the Za'atar and pepper, and cook, stirring, for a minute, until fragrant. Add the reserved cooking water, bring to a rapid boil and cook for five minutes, until it reduces a little and turns silky. Stir the pasta vigorously into the sauce, then add the parmesan in two batches, continuing to stir vigorously as you go, and waiting until the first half has melted in before adding the next. Once all the parmesan has melted, add the pecorino, continuing to stir until it has also melted and the sauce is smooth and silky. Transfer to a lipped platter, finish with the oil, marjoram (if using), the remaining za’atar and a small pinch of salt, and serve at once.