Cacio e Pepe

Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente. Scoop out at least 250 ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, toast the black pepper in a wide dry frying pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and swirl to make a peppery base.

Add the hot spaghetti to the pan and toss vigorously, adding the remaining pasta water a little at a time until the pasta is glossy and coated.

Take the pan off the heat. Add the finely grated Parmesan in handfuls, tossing continuously until smooth. Finish with the optional olive oil, taste for seasoning and serve immediately with extra pepper.