Colm O'Gorman: Get a taste of Rome with my traditional cacio e pepe recipe

"...a slightly amped up version of the classic, with some lemon added for a little bit of acidity to balance the creaminess of the cheese - and a buttery, lemony, crisp golden crumb to finish..."

Cacio e pepe: a Roman classic with a zingy, lemon twist

I was in Rome for work a few weeks ago, and managed to eat out on one of the nights I was there. I adore Italian food, and some of my favourite recipes are simple pasta dishes which use just a few very good ingredients. 

The classic Roman dish, Cacio e Pepe is for me, the ultimate example of such a recipe. The traditional dish I made with just three ingredients; pecorino cheese, spaghetti, and black pepper, hence its name which literally translates as ‘cheese and pepper’.