Ingredients
Salt
1 pound dried spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli pasta
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon very coarsely ground black pepper
4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, very finely grated (about 2 cups)
Directions
1 - Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt until it tastes like the summer sea. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2 - Heat a large pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom. When it shimmers, add the pepper and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water into the pan and let it boil — this will encourage an emulsion to form.
3 - Add the drained pasta to the hot pan, toss to coat the noodles, then sprinkle in all but a handful of the cheese. Use tongs to vigorously toss the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce that clings to the pasta without clumping. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Garnish with the remaining cheese and more coarsely ground pepper and serve immediately.
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