CACIO E PEPE WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Cacio e Pepe with Asparagus And Peas image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 12

Kosher salt, as needed
8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
8 ounces pencil-thin asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup) (see Note)
2/3 cup English peas (thawed if frozen)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon very coarsely ground black pepper
1 ounce young pecorino, such as Pecorino Toscano, shredded ( 1/4 cup), plus more for serving
1 ounce Pecorino Romano, shredded ( 1/4 cup), plus more for serving
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated ( 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
Coarse sea salt to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Snipped fresh chives, preferably with blossoms, for garnish

Steps:

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions (it should be slightly underdone to your taste because you'll finish cooking it in the sauce). During the last minute of cooking, add the asparagus and peas. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
In a 12-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Stir until the butter has melted and the sauce is beginning to thicken, about 30 seconds.
Add the pasta, peas, asparagus, and all three cheeses, and toss until the cheese has melted and the pasta has finished cooking, about 1 minute. Add more of the reserved pasta water if the skillet seems dry. Season with coarse sea salt to taste. Serve, sprinkling each portion with more cheese and drizzling it with olive oil. Garnish with the chives.