Bring 3 litres of water to the boil in your largest pan, with ½ teaspoon of salt (that’s a bit less salt than normal, but Pecorino is salty).
While the water is coming to a boil, finely grate the Pecorino onto a plate and grind 1 tablespoon of black pepper over it. Mix them together and put the plate to one side.
Once the water is boiling, add the dried spaghetti and time for one minute under the packet instructions.
Get a large frying pan ready alongside the water pot. Just before the spaghetti is al dente, drain the spaghetti straight into the frying pan and ladle in around 100 millilitres of cooking water.
Heat for one minute then turn off the hob. Sprinkle in the grated cheese and pepper then use tongs to lift and turn the spaghetti so that the cheese and water melt together to create a creamy sauce.
Once the cheese has melted into the cooking water and the spaghetti is fully covered, divide between two serving dishes.
Top with extra black pepper and parmesan, and serve immediately.
