Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Fill a large pot three-quarters full with cold water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add a generous handful of salt, enough to make the water taste like seawater.
- While waiting for the water to boil, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the freshly cracked black pepper and toast it for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant.
- Add the spaghetti or tonnarelli to the boiling salted water. Stir immediately to prevent sticking and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 8 to 10 minutes.
- About 1 minute before the pasta finishes cooking, use a mug or small bowl to scoop out at least 1.5 cups of starchy pasta water and set it aside.
- Drain the pasta in a colander, shaking gently to remove excess water but leaving the pasta slightly damp. Do not rinse the pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese with 1 cup of the reserved hot pasta water until you create a smooth, pourable mixture.
- Remove the skillet with toasted black pepper from the heat. Immediately add the hot drained pasta to the skillet, toss constantly, and quickly pour the cheese and pasta water mixture over the pasta while continuing to toss constantly to create a creamy sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, gradually add additional reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, while continuously tossing until the sauce coats the pasta silkily without pooling.
- Divide the pasta into bowls immediately and top each serving with a generous crack of fresh black pepper. Serve right away.
Notes
Use a kitchen scale to measure cheese precisely and grate cheese on a Microplane immediately before cooking for best emulsification. Work quickly when combining pasta and cheese mixture, and do not let the sauce boil after adding cheese to avoid breaking. Freshly toast pepper to enhance flavor but do not use pre-ground pepper.