Spaghetti cacio e pepe

Place a pot with water on the stove to cook the pasta, filling it with about half the water you usually use.

Grate the Pecorino Toscano and transfer almost all of it into a bowl, keeping a little aside for plating.

When the water comes to a boil, moderately salt it and add the spaghetti.

Crush the peppercorns with a meat mallet or grinder, leaving it fairly coarse.

Pour the pepper into a large non-stick pan and toast it over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Deglaze with a couple of ladles of pasta cooking water and continue to stir over low heat.

Drain the spaghetti 2-3 minutes before the time indicated on the package and transfer them to the pan, reserving the cooking water.

Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan, like risotto, adding hot water as needed and stirring continuously.

Prepare the Pecorino cream: pour a ladle of hot cooking water into the bowl with the grated Pecorino and mix vigorously with a hand whisk.

When the spaghetti is cooked, turn off the heat and add the Pecorino cream, stirring continuously with tongs.

Serve the spaghetti cacio e pepe, sprinkling with the remaining grated Pecorino and more freshly ground pepper.