Cacio e Pepe

This Roman specialty sounds so simple yet it tastes like you've spent a lot of time and effort in cooking it! 

Ingredients
serves 4
300g tonarelli (or a similar thick cut spaghetti )
200g Pecorino, finely grated 
2 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste
salt

Method

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Use a lot less water than you would normally so to create a very starchy cooking water for use later. 

Add a good pinch of salt then add the pasta. Cook until just al dente.

Next, in a large frying pan, add a teaspoon of the ground pepper and toast over a medium heat. When they begin to become fragrant add a splash of cooking water to loosen the pepper from the pan.  

Using a pasta fork, lift the cooked pasta into the frying pan. Stir well.

Remove from the heat.

Add the finely grated cheese, a little at a time. Stir quite vigorously to avoid the cheese from lumping. Continue adding the pecorino and add a ladle of the cooking water cooking water to create a thick creamy consistency. 

Return the pan on a lower heat and cook for a minute, stirring constantly, to bring back up to a warm temperature for serving.

Season with the remaining teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. 

Serve immediately with more grated cheese on top.