Cacio e pepe

Ingredients

• 200g tonnarelli or spaghetti
• 80g pecorino romano, finely grated
• 2 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked

Method

1. Toast the pepper in a dry pan for a minute, then add a ladle of pasta water.
2. Cook the pasta two minutes short and finish it in that pan.
3. Off the heat — genuinely off — beat in the pecorino with more pasta water.
4. If it splits, the pan was too hot. Add cold water and beat harder.