Ramen noodles bring a bouncy twist to this classic Roman pasta dish. You'll want the black pepper to be very coarse so that it can infuse the butter and achieve that fruity heat without burning. If you have a pepper mill, make sure to turn it to the coarsest setting. You can also crush the peppercorns using a flat bottomed mug or cast iron pan. If you can't find fresh ramen noodles (which have the best bounce), you can also use the dried instant ramen noodles that come in a 3-ounce pack, discarding the seasoning packet it comes with.

By Andy Baraghani

Total Time 15 minutes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

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Salt and freshly coarsely ground black pepper

1 (5-ounce) package fresh ramen noodles (or 3 oz dried package ramen noodles, seasoning package discarded)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup finely grated Parmesan

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1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the ramen and cook until slightly under done, so that they finish cooking in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

2. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.

3. Add 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, swirling the pan until the pepper is toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Using tongs, transfer the noodles to the pan along with ⅓ cup of the cooking water. Gradually sprinkle in the cheese while vigorously mixing the noodles with the tongs until the cheese, pasta water and butter form a glossy smooth sauce that clings to the noodles, about 1 minute.

5. If the noodles look dry, add a splash of the cooking water. Taste a noodle or two and season with salt, if needed. Transfer to a bowl and top with more pepper.