Cacio e Pepe

Serves 2

2 L water
20 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt
150 g good Spaghetti
50 g pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
freshly ground black tellicherry pepper

Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Put the cheese and pepper in a bowl large enough to hold the pasta. When the pasta is about a minute shy of being al dente, reserve a cup or so of pasta water. Add about one quarter cup of the water to the cheese and whisk the cheese and water together to create a sauce. It should be glossy, and not super runny. Use a spider to transfer the pasta to the bowl and stir to combine. Add a little water or extra cheese if necessary to loosen or tighten the sauce as necessary. The sauce should stick to the noodles, and should not be runny.