Cacio e Pepe con Fava e Menta

Directions

1. Start by double podding the fava beans, which is a bit of a chore. Very little ones don't need to be removed from their individual shells.

2. Mix the grated cheeses in a bowl. Bring another pot of water to a boil and salt it. Because you need a lot of starch in the pasta water to use for the creamy sauce, put less water in the pot than usual. I also salt it less because of the salty cheese. Say 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt to 2 ½ quarts (2.4 L) of water. Cook the pasta al dente because it will cook more in the skillet later.

3. Meanwhile, toast the peppercorns over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Stop when the aroma is released, approximately 5 minutes, and then set the skillet aside. This is where the pasta will go later.

4. Allow the peppercorns to cool, transfer them to a mortar or pepper grinder, and grind coarsely. Return the pepper to the skillet and pour a tablespoon of pasta cooking liquid over the pepper.

5. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta from the water and place it in the skillet.

   
   

6. Over medium heat, use a spatula to stir the pasta, pepper, and pasta water mixture together vigorously. Then add a bit more pasta water and stir vigorously again. Continue the process until the pasta has fully cooked. Remove the pasta pan from the heat.

7. Next, mix in pasta water ½ tablespoon at a time into the melted cheese, until the sauce becomes creamy (be sure to add the water slowly and mix well, otherwise there is a chance that the cheese will get stringy!). Continue to stir the mixture until it becomes a kind of thick cheese paste. Add to the pasta and mix well. Pour in a little more pasta cooking liquid and then stir again. Repeat adding water and stirring until you have a smooth consistency that coats the pasta. You’ll add more pasta cooking liquid than you think because the pasta soaks it up. When you stir the whole thing, it should make a wet sound.  Mix in the fava beans at the last minute. Sprinkle with chopped mint and eat immediately.