Rigatoni Alla Carbonara

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: Boiling, Sautéing Cuisine: Italian Courses: Main Courses

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Calories: 490.2

Description

This authentic carbonara features rigatoni cooked al dente and tossed with rendered pancetta, onions, and a creamy egg and cheese sauce. The dish balances the savory, salty crunch of the pancetta with the richness of the emulsified eggs and cheeses. It is a comforting, quick dinner that relies on starchy pasta water to create a silky texture without cream.

Directions

Finely dice the pancetta and saut it gently with the chopped onion and dried red chile in the butter and olive oil until the pancetta is rendered and the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.
Discard the dried red chile.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the grated pecorino, grated Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, several grindings of black pepper, and the chopped parsley until well combined.
Bring 4 to 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and cook the rigatoni until al dente (slightly underdone).
Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
Add the drained pasta to the pan with the pancetta mixture. Toss thoroughly over low heat to coat the pasta with the oil and butter.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the egg and cheese mixture vigorously, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time if needed to create a creamy sauce.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 490.2kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 34.6g54%
Saturated Fat 14.4g72%
Cholesterol 237.1mg80%
Sodium 1450mg61%
Total Carbohydrate 28.2g10%
Dietary Fiber 0.3g2%
Sugars 26.5g
Protein 17.3g35%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

The original recipe mentioned spaghetti, but rigatoni holds the sauce well. Ensure the pan is off the heat when adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more hot pasta water.

Storage: Carbonara is best served immediately. Leftovers may be reheated gently with a splash of water or milk, but the texture will not be as creamy.

Ingredient Note: The ingredient list originally had an empty item which has been interpreted as Parmesan cheese based on standard carbonara recipes and the directions mentioning "2 cheeses".

Rigatoni Alla Carbonara