Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Grate Pecorino Romano finely
Crush black pepper coarsely and toast it in a dry pan
Cook spaghetti or tonnarelli until just shy of al dente
Reserve plenty of pasta water
Add a small ladle of pasta water to the toasted pepper in the pan
Add the drained pasta to the pan
Remove the pan from heat
Add the grated Pecorino gradually while tossing constantly
Add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce
Toss until the pasta is evenly coated
Serve immediately with extra black pepper on top