Serves 4.
(Recipe adapted from TheKitchn.com)
5 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons cracked or ground black peppercorns, divided
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1/3 cup ice water
1 pound dried spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Using a Microplane, finely grate the cheese into a large bowl to yield 2-1/2 cups. Set aside 1/2 cup in a small bowl to use as garnish.
If desired, toast 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns in 1 tablespoon olive oil; drain and cool.
Using a fork, mix 1 tablespoon cracked pepper into the cheese. Drizzle in 1/3 cup ice water and use the fork to whisk it into the cheese mixture. Press the mixture against the side of the bowl, as needed, to form a thick, mostly smooth and lump-free paste; set aside.
Add dried pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions.
Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta with tongs or a pasta fork and working quickly, immediately add pasta to the bowl of cheese paste, using a fork to vigorously stir and toss the pasta with the cheese paste. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water at a time as needed to loosen the paste until it evenly coats the pasta in a creamy sauce. (You’ll likely use only about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pasta water total and not use all of it.)
Serve immediately, topped with the reserved grated Pecorino Romano and black pepper.
