Ingredients
Method
- Toast the peppercorns in a small skillet over medium high heat until it's fragrant, about 60 to 90 seconds. Trasnfer the pepper to a spice grinder or a mortar and pulverize the pepper.
- In a large skillet or high sided saute pan, add the pasta and fill the pan with water so that the pasta is submerged. Put the pan over high heat and cook the pasta till it's al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, begin the sauce. Put the olive oil in the pan with the pepper over medium heat and cook for a minute or so to bloom the pepper in the oil. Add the butter and remove the pan from the heat.
- When the pasta is cooked, ladel about a half cup of the pasta water into the pan with the oilve oil, pepper and butter. Using tongs transfer the pasta directly from the water into the pan. Season the pasta with salt (remember the cheese is salty). Begin adding the cheese slowly, stirring continuously as it melts. Add more water, then cheese. You may need only 1-½ cups of the cheese. Keep adding cheese and water until you have a smooth, silkly sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
It's a good idea to have plenty of cheese on hand. If for some reason, the pan is too hot and the cheese clumps, simply remove the clumps, and add more cheese and hot water.
The starchier the water, the creamier the sauce will be. This is why we cook it in a smaller amount of water. But there's no reason you can't cook the pasta in a big pot of water if you wish.
If you don't want to grind your own pepper, that's fine, but I would urge you to buy a fresh tin or bottle of ground pepper. The quality of the pepper is important.
IMPORTANTLY: If you do get the cheese too hot, and it clumps, you can fix it, by removing the clumps and discarding them, then adding more fresh cheese and hot pasta water. Not ideal but it can be salvaged!