First, get a kitchen thermometer. Boil the pasta water in a large pot, using slightly more water than necessary.

Meanwhile, toast the whole peppercorns in a pan. When the peppercorns are hot (and you can smell the aroma), remove them from the pan (without washing it) and crush or chop them with a knife.

Sift the chopped pepper through a fine mesh sieve and collect the powder in the pan where you toasted the peppercorns.

When the water boils, add the pasta and count one minute. After one minute, turn off the heat. While the pasta continues to cook as the temperature drops (it will take about 2 more minutes than the al dente cooking time indicated on the package), collect the necessary amount of cooking water in a container and use the thermometer to check that the temperature reaches 131°F.

In the pan with the pepper, add the Pecorino and mix. When the cooking water reaches 131°F (this will take 3 or 4 minutes), pour it into the cheese and pepper mixture and stir off the heat until a cream forms. Place a spoonful of cacio e pepe cream on the bottom of each plate.

At this point, about 6 minutes will have passed since you turned off the pasta's heat. Drain the pasta with a spaghetti fork and add it to the pan with the cacio e pepe cream.

Turn on the flame and toss the pasta, using spaghetti tongs to keep the pan suspended above the flame, so the heat maintains a constant temperature without causing the cheese to separate. Form a nest of pasta for each plate and sprinkle with more toasted pepper. If desired, you can add more Pecorino, either shaved or grated.