Rigatoni alla Carbonara
Rigatoni alla Carbonara is a traditional Roman pasta dish prepared with pancetta, eggs, cream, cheese, and fresh black pepper. This creamy, dreamy, silky smooth pasta packs a punch of flavor in every bite – imagine crispy pancetta smothered in cheesy, peppery cream sauce nestled inside each forkful of rigatoni. Need I say more?
Equipment
ingredients
Pancetta
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 8 oz Pancetta (or Bacon), diced
- 1 tbsp Half & Half
Carbonara
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 ½ cups Half & Half
- ¾ cup Parmesan, shredded
- TYL* Black Pepper, *to your liking
- 3 Egg Yolks (Extra-Large)
- 3 Whole Eggs (Extra-Large)
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Rigatoni
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 lb Rigatoni
(P.S. Use this as a checklist!)
Instructions
Dice and brown pancetta. Bring 5-6 qt. water to boil. Dice pancetta into 1/4 in. cubes. Add 1 tbsp. butter and pancetta to skillet over medium heat and brown for 5 min. until crispy, stirring every min. When pancetta starts to brown and sizzle, add 1 tbsp. half & half to absorb some of the fat (we love tricks!). Remove from heat and transfer to bowl.Prepare creamy carbonara sauce. Add 1 tbsp. salt and rigatoni to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reuse skillet to combine butter and half & half and bring to a simmer, about 2-3 min. Add parmesan (only 1/2 cup) and pepper (to your liking!) and let simmer for 1 min. more until thickened, while stirring. Remove sauce from heat and chop parsley.May the fork be with you. Just before pasta is done, add eggs and egg yolks to carbonara sauce and – whisk like you’ve never whisked before! Strain rigatoni and quickly mix (you’ve got this!) with carbonara sauce, followed by pancetta and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Serve right away with a sprinkle of parsley, parmesan, and cracked pepper. (P.S., don’t be alarmed by silence at the dinner table—the deliciousness may have your guests speechless!)
Notes & Tips
- No scrambled eggs allowed! So, I imagine that pasta and scrambled eggs doesn’t appeal to you. Me either! To avoid this pasta catastrophe, serve this dish immediately to enjoy the warm, creamy, bacon-y carbonara goodness. If you need to reheat for round two (since leftovers are doubtful): boil a few tbsp. water in a skillet, reduce heat to low, add leftover rigatoni carbonara, and stir until warm. The microwave is off limits!
Need to make this immediately !!! Mouth is watering