Cacio e pepe is a simple, timeless Italian pasta dish with bold flavors. However, the addition of shallots will provide an extra dimension of flavor to your pasta dish.

The addition of shallots might seem blasphemous to many authentic Italian cuisine lovers, but its flavor complements well with the cheese and ground black pepper.

After grating the Pecorino Romano cheese and grinding the pepper, finely slice the shallots and fry them in butter until lightly browned, softened, and fragrant.

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, boil long pasta noodles in thoroughly salted water until al dente. Save a couple of cups of pasta water when draining.

In a large pan on high heat, combine ground pepper, olive oil, and a splash of pasta water alongside the cooked shallots to create the base.

Finally, add the pasta and cheese and stir vigorously until the cheese emulsifies with the liquids to create a creamy sauce — add more pasta water if the pan looks too dry.