Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti or tonnarelli pasta
• 6 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
• 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns, freshly cracked
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp kosher salt for pasta water
• 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
2. While the pasta cooks, toast the cracked black pepper in a large, dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the olive oil and remove the pan from heat.
3. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining. Add about ½ cup of the hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
4. Transfer the pasta directly to the skillet and toss vigorously, adding small splashes of pasta water as needed to keep everything loose and moving.
5. Remove the skillet from heat completely. Add the grated Pecorino Romano in three additions, tossing constantly and vigorously between each addition, allowing the residual heat to melt the cheese into a creamy emulsion rather than clumping.
6. Continue tossing and adding small amounts of pasta water as needed until a glossy, coating sauce forms that clings to each strand. Serve immediately with additional cracked pepper and Pecorino on top.