Cacio e Pepe

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium skillet over medium-low heat:

Heat until the ingredients are fragrant and the pepper is barely starting to sizzle, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Place in a large skillet and cover with water:

Season with a small pinch of salt:

Then bring to a boil over high heat. Prod the spaghetti occasionally with a fork or wooden spoon to prevent it from clumping. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente (typically about 1 minute less than the package recommends). Transfer 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water to the skillet with the olive oil/pepper mixture. Stir in:

With tongs, lift the spaghetti and transfer it to the oil/butter mixture.

Add to the skillet the remaining tablespoon olive oil and:

Stir with a fork until the cheese is completely melted. Add a few more tablespoons of pasta water to the skillet to adjust consistency. Reheat as necessary until the sauce is creamy and coats each strand of spaghetti. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra grated cheese and black pepper at the table.