Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil

Add the pasta to the boiling water, keeping an eye on the time and cooking the pasta 2-3 minutes less than the desired cooking time.

While the pasta is cooking, place a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and toast it for a few minutes until fragrant. Add a ladleful of pasta cooking water to the pan and bubble away for a few minutes.

Place the grated pecorino onto a bowl and add 1/2 a ladleful of pasta cooking water. Mix to form a thick paste.

Once the pasta has approx. 3 minutes left to cook, use a slotted spoon of the rigatoni and add it to your frying pan along with one ladleful of pasta cooking water. Mix as it keeps cooking for a few extra minutes, adding a little more pasta cooking water if it’s drying out too much.

Turn the heat off, and add the pecorino paste to the pan.

Keep mixing and tossing to allow the cheese to melt into the pasta cooking water and turn into a velvety cream.

Serve immediately with an extra dusting of freshly ground black pepper and pecorino cheese.