Cacio e Pepe

1. 1

   Bring a large pot halfway full of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, place 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and you hear the peppercorns start to crackle or roll around the pan on their own, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely crush with a mortar and pestle or under a heavy pan on a cutting board, or coarsely grind in a spice grinder. Return to the skillet.

   3 min
2. 2

   Add 1 pound dry spaghetti and a few pinches kosher salt to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until just al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finely grate 4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese on a Microplane or on the very small round holes of a box grater into a medium heatproof bowl (about 2 1/2 cups).

   8 min
3. 3

   Right before the pasta is ready, transfer 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the skillet, letting some water cling to the noodles. Cook, tossing often, until the pasta is well-coated and there is very little cooking water left in the skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat.

   2 min
4. 4

   Scoop about 1/2 cup more cooking water into a measuring cup. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of this water into the bowl of cheese and start mashing with a fork to evenly moisten it. Continue to drizzle more pasta water in and mash until the cheese becomes a soft paste. You might not need the full 1/2 cup, but make sure the cheese paste isn’t dry, or it will be harder to toss with the spaghetti.

5. 5

   Spoon about one-quarter of the cheese paste on top of the spaghetti and quickly toss together until the cheese melts. Continue gradually adding more dollops of cheese paste and tossing, making sure the cheese is well-blended and melted before adding more. Add drizzles of pasta water as needed when the pasta seems dry to help blend the cheese, but do not add too much at this stage — just enough to moisten the noodles. Use the back of your tongs to break apart any clumps of the cheese paste, and make sure it doesn’t fall to the bottom of the skillet, where it can overheat and seize.

6. 6

   Once all the cheese paste has been tossed in and the noodles are glossy and coated, add pasta water in 1/4-cup increments, tossing between each, until the noodles are lightly sauced and well-coated but not runny. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

1. 7

   Make ahead: You can toast and crush the peppercorns several hours ahead.Storage: This pasta is best eaten hot as soon as it is done. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, and reheating will not bring back the saucy consistency, but can make the melted cheese hard and clumpy. While I never say no to eating cold leftover pasta, and you will still have a tasty peppery cheese snack, it will lack the silky, saucy quality of the fresh dish. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.