A weeknight version of cacio e pepe that lets a good cheese blend do the work. Emulsified with starchy pasta water and finished with butter, it coats the noodles and comes together in the time it takes to boil water. The blend of asiago, fontina, parmesan and provolone gives depth that a single cheese cannot.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 740 calories a serving, 29 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 ounces of pasta. Cook until just shy of tender, about 2 minutes under the package time; reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, set a large skillet over low heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it melts, whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground pepper and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the hot drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently with tongs to coat in the butter. Sprinkle 1 cup of finely grated cheese blend over the pasta and pour in 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the cheese melts into a glossy sauce that clings to each strand, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. If the sauce seems thick, add the remaining pasta water a splash at a time until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Taste and adjust salt as needed, remembering the cheese is already salty. Plate at once and finish each bowl with a few grinds of black pepper.

Note This cheese blend can swap for any single hard cheese you prefer; reduce the amount by a quarter since a single cheese is more concentrated. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for two days and reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water to restore the sauce. Serve with a green salad dressed with lemon juice and oil, or toss the pasta with roasted broc