Pasta con burro e rosmarino

Prep: grate the cheese and have a ladle ready before the water boils — the sauce comes together in the time the pasta cooks.

Cook the pasta in well-salted water; pull it 1–2 minutes before the packet time.

Infuse the butter: while the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the whole rosemary sprigs and let them sizzle gently in the foaming butter for 3–4 minutes, turning once or twice. The butter will brown lightly and smell nutty-resinous; the sprigs will darken and crisp. Don't rush it with high heat — burnt rosemary goes bitter and acrid.

Remove the sprigs: fish them out and discard. Keep the pan off a strong boil — you now have rosemary-perfumed brown butter.

Emulsify: transfer the pasta straight from the pot with tongs (don't drain). Add a splash of pasta water and toss vigorously over medium heat until the butter and starch form a glossy sauce clinging to the strands.

Off the heat, add cheese: remove from the heat, wait 30 seconds, then add the cheese in handfuls, tossing continuously.

Serve immediately with cracked black pepper and extra cheese.