1. Bring water to boil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add salt and spaghetti. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until al dente, about 9 minutes. Transfer hot cooked pasta to large bowl using tongs, reserving cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in large, deep nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Carefully ladle about 1 cup of the hot pasta water into pan, stirring to mix. Bring to simmer.
3. Place 2 cups of the pecorino cheese in medium bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup of the pasta water, mixing well to create a thick paste; set aside. Transfer hot pasta to pan with pepper sauce, tossing to blend with the sauce. Add 1 cup of the remaining pasta water to pan. Remove from heat. Add pecorino mixture and toss pasta to coat. Add remaining 1/4 cup cheese tossing until well blended. (The sauce should be smooth and creamy and stick to the pasta, but not thin and watery. Add additional pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if pasta is too dry.) Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional grated pecorino and ground pepper, if desired.
4. It’s best to purchase pecorino cheese cut from the wheel, and then grate fresh, just before using. For this recipe, we recommend grating the cheese fine, using the smallest side of your box grater, or even a microplane, to help create a smooth sauce.
*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.
