Cacio e pepe: Pecorino and black pepper Roman spaghetti

Method

1. 1

   Cracking the pepper

   Crush the peppercorns coarsely in a pestle and mortar so that their aroma is released.

   3 min
2. 2

   Toasting the pepper

   Toast the cracked pepper briefly in a dry frying pan until fragrant.

   2 min
3. 3

   Cooking the pasta

   Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente, and set aside a small cupful of the cooking water.

   10 min
4. 4

   Tossing together

   Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with the pepper, then toss thoroughly with a few spoonfuls of the cooking water.

   1 min
5. 5

   Making the pecorino cream

   Take the pan off the heat, scatter the grated pecorino over the pasta and toss slowly, adding a little cooking water to create a creamy sauce. An overly hot pan can cause the cheese to clump, so take care.

   1 min
6. 6

   Serving

   Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra pecorino and pepper.