This is a very quick and simple dish, typical of Rome, to be served directly from the pan. ENJOY!

​

1. Start by grating the pecorino romano cheese. 

2. Then put water to boil in a large pot, add a generous amount of salt. 

3. Once the water comes to a boil, add the spaghetti. Make sure you stir the spaghetti so it doesn't stick together. 

4. While the spaghetti is cooking, poor the peppercorns onto your cutting board and crush them with a rolling pin or a meat mallet. This is the best way to release all the spicy perfume of the pepper. 

5. Briefly toast the pepper in a frying pan, then add a couple ladles of the pasta water to the toasted pepper and continue to simmer at a low heat. 

6. Then make the creamy pecorino cheese sauce. Put half the grated pecorino cheese into a bowl, add a  ladle of pasta water and whisk quickly and vigorously. Once it becomes creamy, add the rest of the pecorino cheese and some more pasta water and keep whisking until it is creamy and smooth. 

7. Now the pasta should be ready (it must be 'al dente'). Drain it and pour it right into the pan with the pepper mixture and stir it so that the pepper coats the spaghetti. Then pour the creamy cheese mixture directly on top of the spaghetti and stir it in (or toss it if you know how!). 

8. Turn off the heat, add another sprinkling of grated cheese, salt and pepper, then serve directly from the pan.