Italian Cheese Wheel Pasta Recipe: Because Life Is Too Short Not To by Donna John

A foodie friend of mine and I go out often to experience new foods and culinary experiences. Our latest obsession is cheese wheel pasta. Oh, my. If you haven't tried this creamy, cheesy Italian dish that comes with a show (they usually cook it tableside), you need to search out a restaurant in your city and try it. Delicious! But you can also create this unforgettable dinner at home!

Photo: Small cheese wheel at Numero28, an Italian restaurant in Houston, Texas.

Yes, buying a cheese wheel is not a budget recipe. However, if you have foodie friends and family, this can be a memory making dinner. To make it more affordable, have everyone chip in to buy the cheese wheel. Cheese wheels come in all sizes, so check around and see where you can buy one. Some grocery stores carry them or will special order one for you. You could also hit up your Italian restaurants and get their recommendations.

Here is your shopping list for this Italian extravaganza: a cheese wheel, Pecorino Romano cheese, ground black pepper and long pasta of your choice. Watch the video below to learn how to open a cheese wheel (it's not hard!). Once that is done, the rest is easy! Cook the pasta noodles, transfer the hot pasta to the hollowed out cheese bowl, stir until creamy and serve with black pepper (cacio e pepe style) and freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

Photo: Large cheese wheel at Zanti, an Italian restaurant in Magnolia, Texas.

This is one dinner party your friends and family will never forget. Be sure to snap some photos!

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Cuisine: Italian 
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes (for pasta)
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: varies

Ingredients

• wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano
• freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• freshly ground black pepper
• long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, etc.), about 2 ounces per person

Helpful Products

• Box Cutter
• Chef Knife
• Cheese Knife
• Tongs
• Pasta Pot
• Cheese Grater
• Pasta Bowls

Recipe Notes

• Watch this video to help you open the wheel of cheese. Your wheel will probably not be as big as the one shown (unless you're a big baller), but this will help guide you through process, which is simple. Split the cheese closer to the top to keep a larger area at the bottom when making cheese wheel pasta.

• The general rule is 2 ounces of pasta per person.
  

• If you prefer, omit the black pepper.

• You could add cooked prosciutto, bacon, ham, fresh spinach or mushrooms to this dish.

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese could be substituted for the Pecorino Romano.

• A cheese wheel can cost anywhere from $200 to $5000 (and up!), depending on your area, type of cheese and size of cheese wheel. 

Here's how to make it:

1. Cut open the cheese wheel as seen in the video (see Recipe Notes). Scape the inside of the open cheese wheel to create a bowl (leave the cheese shavings inside the bowl).
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente.
3. Put the hot pasta – a serving at a time or all at once, depending on how many people you are feeding – into the cheese wheel and stir until creamy using tongs.
4. Remove to plate or pasta bowl and sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with additional freshly grated Pecorino Romano.
   

Recipe cooking times and servings are approximate. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography. Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

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