Ricotta gnocchi cacio e pepe

Line a tray with baking paper for the finished gnocchi (transcribed 'put bacon and pepper on top'; later 'put them on the baking paper').

Break the ricotta up with a fork, then mix in the pecorino.

Add half the flour and mix; add the egg and mix; add the rest of the flour.

Knead briefly, pressing forward and folding back, only until the dough absorbs the flour; do not overwork it. Clean the bowl with the dough if it feels too wet.

Rest the dough about 10 minutes.

Flour the bench generously, roll the dough out with a rolling pin, and cut strips about one inch wide.

With flour under and on top, roll each strip into a snake, pressing from the middle out to the sides; cut into little pillows and toss with flour so they do not stick. Rest on the baking paper. Optionally mark them with a fork or board.

Toast as much pepper as wanted in a pan over medium-low heat; mix some pepper into the pecorino too.

Boil the gnocchi in unsalted water (the pecorino is salty enough) without touching them; they are ready when they come to the surface. Freeze any not needed.

Take a mug of the starchy pasta water. Mix about three tablespoons into the pecorino and pepper, then three more, to a thick, not runny, cacio cream.

Add some pasta water to the pan with the toasted pepper and add the gnocchi; let them finish cooking and release starch until the water has almost evaporated, neither too wet nor dry.

Switch off the stove, add the pecorino cream to the hot pan and mix until creamy, not stringy. Plate.