Step 1

PEPPERCORNS: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the peppercorns until they break down into a coarse grind.

Step 2

PASTA: Bring 2 quarts (8 cups) of water to a boil in a pot. When boiling, season the water with about a tablespoon of salt. Taste the water and make sure it’s slightly salty. You don’t want to heavily salt the water because we’re going to reduce it quite a bit! Add the pasta and boil it for 2 minutes less than what is stated on the package.

Step 3

CHEESE AND PEPPER: While the pasta is cooking, grate the pecorino in a medium bowl, set aside for now. When there are 4 minutes to the pasta remaining, add the coarse pepper to a skillet and toast the pepper over medium-low heat, about 1 minute. You want to gently toss or swirl the pan to make sure the pepper isn’t burning. When you can smell the toasty black pepper, it’s done. Remove roughly half to a small bowl and leave the rest in the frying pan with the heat on medium-low. Immediately add a ¼ cup of starchy pasta water to the pepper and allow it to simmer, you want the pasta water to reduce by half. When there is 2 minutes remaining in the pasta to be done, add ⅓ cup of the pasta water to the grated cheese and stir together using a rubber spatula to form a smooth cheese sauce. You might need an additional tablespoon or two of the starchy water to form a queso-like sauce.

Step 4

CACIO E PEPE: When the pasta is done boiling, remove the pasta from the pot to the frying pan using a pair of tongs. Turn the stove on to the low setting and toss the pasta in the pepper mixture in the skillet. Then stir in the prepared cheese mixture and continuously toss the pasta to make sure everything is evenly combined. If the sauce needs to be loosened, add ¼ cup of starchy water and toss until a smooth sauce glazes the spaghetti. You’ll need a little more water than you think because the pasta does soak it up quite fast. Taste and adjust with additional pepper as desired. Serve immediately with additional shaved pecorino and the pepper we set aside earlier.