Crescents With Pecorino Romano Cheese Recipes

PASTA WITH PECORINO AND PEPPER

Steps:

• Place the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and crush them until you have a mixture of coarse and fine bits. (You can also grind them in a small food mill or coffee grinder.) Set aside.
• Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Ladle 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into a glass measuring cup and reserve it. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander and return the pasta to the pot with a lot of the pasta water still dripping.
• Working quickly, with the heat on very low, toss the pasta with 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino, the crushed peppercorns, cream, butter, parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt, tossing constantly. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking water. Off the heat, toss in the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino. Serve immediately with a big bowl of extra grated Pecorino for sprinkling.

CRESCENTS WITH PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. To make the dough, place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together the egg yolks, water, brandy and wine. Add to the flour mixture and pulse until dough begins to come together. Press the dough together, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• To make the filling, place the cheese in a medium bowl and stir in the orange and lemon rinds, the nutmeg and brandy. Whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and whip until stiff. Stir half of the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Fold in the remaining whites. Set aside.
• Divide the dough in half. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a coin. With a 3-inch-round cookie cutter or glass, cut out as many rounds as possible. Brush the rim of each round with water and place a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Fold the dough around the filling to form a crescent and pinch the edges to seal them tight. Divide between 2 lightly floured baking sheets.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, rerolling the scraps if necessary to use up all the filling. Bake until the crescents turn a pale blond color, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Serve with a chilled dry white wine.

PECORINO-CRUSTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a food processor, pulse bread and Pecorino until coarse crumbs form.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Press crumb mixture onto skin side of chicken; transfer to prepared sheet. Bake until crust is golden and chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

SPAGHETTI WITH PECORINO ROMANO AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Toast peppercorns in a dry small skillet over moderately high heat, swirling skillet, until fragrant and peppercorns begin to jump, 2 to 3 minutes. Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or wrap in a kitchen towel and press on peppercorns with bottom of a heavy skillet.
• Cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Fill a large glass or ceramic bowl with some hot water to warm bowl. Just before spaghetti is finished cooking, drain bowl but do not dry.
• Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta quickly in a colander (do not shake off excess water) and add to warm pasta bowl. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese and 3 tablespoons cooking water evenly over spaghetti and toss quickly. If pasta seems dry, toss with some additional cooking water.
• Divide pasta among 4 plates, then sprinkle with pepper and 2 tablespoons cheese (total). Serve immediately with additional cheese on the side.

PEARS AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Slice cheese thinly, and divide among four plates. Place pears on top of cheese. Warm honey, and drizzle it over pears. Top with a grind of pepper.

GARLIC BREAD WITH PECORINO ROMANO BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix butter, cheese, parsley and garlic in medium bowl to blend well. Season with pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Place bread, cut side up, on baking sheet. Spread butter mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Bake until topping is golden brown and bread is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Cut bread crosswise into 2-inch-wide pieces. Serve immediately.