# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli
→ Cheese
02 - 4.2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
→ Seasonings
03 - 2 tsp whole black peppercorns, freshly cracked
04 - 1 tsp kosher salt (for pasta water)
→ Optional
05 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for extra creaminess—traditionalists may omit)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then cook the spaghetti until just al dente (about 1 minute less than package instructions). Reserve 1½ cups of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, toast the freshly cracked black pepper in a large, dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
03 - Add 1 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with the pepper. Reduce heat to low.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, allowing the pasta to absorb some peppery water.
05 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
06 - If desired, add butter and toss until melted and emulsified.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and more cracked black pepper.
