1Prep the ingredients: Finely grate 75g Parmigiano cheese and crack about 1 tbsp of black pepper.
2Boil the pasta: Cook 200g spaghetti in salted boiling water, setting a timer for 2 minutes less than the package instructions.
3Toast the pepper: In a large pan over low heat, toast the cracked pepper until fragrant—be careful not to burn it.
4Make the sauce base: When the pasta’s 2 minutes from done, add a ladle of pasta water to the pan with the pepper.
5Finish cooking the pasta: Transfer the pasta directly into the pan. In a bowl, mix the cheese with a ladle of pasta water to form a paste, then stir it into the pasta until creamy. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
6Serve: Turn off the heat, stir in a splash of olive oil, and plate with extra pepper and a drizzle of oil.