Cacio e Pepe with Liquorice and Lemon

Method

1. Toast the black peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn them.
2. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the toasted peppercorns and stir briefly.
3. Immediately add cold water (about one finger's depth per person) to the pan to create an emulsion. Do not add salt to this water.
4. While the emulsion simmers, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
5. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the yellow zest of a Calabrian lemon, avoiding the white pith. Set aside.
6. Once the pasta is very al dente, drain it, reserving the pasta cooking water.
7. Transfer the pasta to the pan with the pepper emulsion and finish cooking it in the liquid, adding a splash of pasta water if needed. The goal is to make the pasta creamy before adding the cheese.
8. When the pasta is creamy and the liquid has reduced, turn off the heat. Let the pan cool for about 30 seconds to prevent the cheese from turning stringy.
9. Add the grated Pecorino Romano (about 120 g for 200 g of pasta) and stir vigorously until the cheese is fully melted and forms a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water.
10. Sprinkle in the liquorice powder (to taste) and toss to combine.
11. Plate the cacio e pepe, garnish with the lemon zest, an extra pinch of liquorice powder, and a final crack of black pepper.
12. Serve immediately.