Foolproof Cacio e Pepe

Bring a pot of well-salted water to boil. Cook pasta to one minute shy of package instructions and taste for desired doneness. Cook a minute longer if needed.

While pasta is cooking, combine all the pecorino (except a spoonful for garnish) with freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cold water and use an immersion blender to work it into a paste, adding additional cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Aim for a paste about the thickness of cream cheese or frosting, using about 4 to 5 tablespoons total.

Before pasta is done, scoop out a cup of hot cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta quickly (no need to shake every drop of water off) and immediately drop it into a large bowl.

Add 3/4 of the cheese-pepper paste in dollops and toss to combine. Initially, it will be too thick to form a sauce. Once it has begun to coat the noodles, pour in a small ladleful of pasta water and toss to loosen the paste into a lightly creamy consistency that evenly coats the spaghetti strands.

Taste and add more of the cheese-pepper paste to taste, or use it all. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen.

Finish with reserved pecorino and a few grinds of black pepper. Eat immediately.