Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti

→ Cheese & Spices

02 - 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

03 - 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra for serving

→ Others

04 - Salt for pasta water

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.

02 - Meanwhile, in a large skillet over low heat, toast the black pepper for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

03 - Add approximately ½ cup of the reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and let it simmer.

04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the peppery water.

05 - Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.

06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but takes less time than ordering delivery.
The sharp bite of Pecorino and the warmth of cracked pepper create something that feels both rustic and elegant.
You only need a handful of ingredients, and none of them are hard to find.
It's the kind of dish that makes you look like you know what you're doing, even if you're winging it.

02 -

If your cheese clumps into a grainy mess, your pan was too hot or you added the cheese too fast, so keep the heat gentle and sprinkle slowly.
Pasta water is not optional, it's the magic that turns grated cheese into a silky sauce, so always save more than you think you need.
Pecorino can vary wildly in saltiness depending on the brand, so taste as you go and don't add extra salt until the very end.

03 -