Rigatoni Carbonara
Rigatoni Carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta dish featuring a silky sauce made entirely from egg yolks and Pecorino Romano cheese, enriched with crispy guanciale and black pepper — no cream required.
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Rigatoni Carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta dish featuring a silky sauce made entirely from egg yolks and Pecorino Romano cheese, enriched with crispy guanciale and black pepper — no cream required.
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In a mixing bowl, separate two egg yolks.
Add the freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper to the egg yolks.
Add a small ladle of hot pasta water to the mixture and whisk vigorously to create a smooth, creamy sauce. Set aside.
Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, add the diced guanciale to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is golden brown and crispy.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the crispy guanciale from the skillet and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Add a ladle of hot pasta water to the rendered fat in the skillet to create an emulsion.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it directly to the skillet with the fat and water emulsion. Toss to coat the pasta.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the hot pasta into the bowl with the egg and cheese sauce.
Immediately and quickly stir everything together until the pasta is coated in a creamy, glossy sauce. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg yolks without scrambling them.
Plate the pasta in a bowl.
Garnish with the reserved crispy guanciale, another grating of Pecorino Romano cheese, and a final grind of black pepper.
Carbonara is best served immediately. Refrigerate leftovers up to 1 day; reheat gently with a splash of pasta water, though texture will not match fresh.
You can substitute bacon, but guanciale's higher fat content and distinctive flavor are essential to authentic carbonara. Pancetta is a closer alternative than bacon.
Curdling happens when eggs cook too fast. Temper the egg yolks with hot pasta water off-heat first, then toss with hot pasta and guanciale fat while stirring constantly.
Pecorino Romano is traditional and has the sharp, salty flavor carbonara requires. Freshly grate it just before use for best texture.
Carbonara is best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 day and gently reheated with splash of water, but texture suffers.
Reserve ¼ to ½ cup of starchy pasta cooking water before draining. The starch helps emulsify the eggs into a creamy sauce.
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