Boil 4 quarts of water in a large pot. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Towards the end, reserve a cup of pasta water and set it aside.

Drain the pasta using a large colander and set it aside. Place the pot back on the stove but keep the heat turned off. Add butter and as it starts to melt, add the pasta, cheese, black pepper and ½ cup of the pasta water. Working quickly to avoid clumping, toss the pasta with tongs to coat and melt the cheese. Add more pasta water as desired to form your sauce.

Serve immediately, garnished with more cheese and black pepper. Add fresh minced parsley for color, if desired.