Ingredients:
160g linguine or tagliolini, dried or fresh
1 whole pecorino
20g butter
½ white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps sage leaves, roughly chopped
4 tbsps white wine
4 tbsps stock or pasta cooking water
2 tbsps double cream
2 tbsps alcohol (ideally min 60% proof, or high strength grappa)
2 tbsps brandy
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. If you are using fresh pasta, do this after you have made the sauce; if you are using dried pasta, start to cook it while you make the sauce.
2. Hollow out the pecorino, saving 40g of the scrapings in the bottom of the cheese.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion, chopped sage, pepper and salt. When softened, add the white wine over a high heat & allow it to reduce for a minute or two.
4. Now, add the stock to the pan and let it reduce, as before. Add the cream and stir through.
5. Warm the alcohol & brandy, either in a ladle over a gas flame or in a pan, and pour it into the cheese and set fire to it, using a taper or long match.
6. When the flame has died away, scrape away another 40g of pecorino from around the edges & leave this in the bottom of the cheese.
7. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the sauce in the pan. Stir to combine, then put it into the pecorino and toss it around inside, using tongs, to mix it with the cheese scrapings.
8. Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with black pepper.