Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) spaghetti or tonnarelli
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 cups (200g) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt to taste (use sparingly, as Pecorino is salty)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, toast the whole black peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Transfer the toasted peppercorns to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and coarsely grind them.
- In a large bowl, combine the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese with a tablespoon or two of cold water. Mix well to form a thick paste.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 to 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the bowl with the Pecorino paste and ground black pepper.
- Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pasta and cheese mixture. Toss vigorously and continuously, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time, until a creamy sauce forms and coats the pasta. The key is to emulsify the cheese and water.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed (remember Pecorino is salty).
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Pecorino Romano and a sprinkle of fresh black pepper.
Notes
- The quality of your Pecorino Romano and black pepper will significantly impact the flavor of this dish.
- The texture of the sauce relies on the starch from the pasta water emulsifying with the cheese.
- Work quickly once the pasta is drained to prevent it from cooling down too much.
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining, as you need the starch for the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 40mg