I usually make pasta for dinner at least two or three times a week, and although I often fall back on old favorites, there are times when I just want to try something different. This pasta is a unique blend of Pasta Carbonara and Amatriciana, featuring the addition of sausage to complement the guanciale. This is a pasta that pork lovers will certainly enjoy!
The pasta includes tomato passata, along with egg yolks, and a generous helping of grated Pecorino cheese. It is best to use eggs at room temperature, and when blended into the sauce, the eggs give a glossy sheen to the pasta. Although you can substitute pancetta for guanciale, if you can find guanciale, I highly recommend it. Do not use pregrated cheese, as it is best to grate your own so it melts into the pasta sauce. The grated cheese you buy in the store often contains certain preservatives that prevent it from blending effortlessly into the sauce.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Ingredients
- 4 Large Egg Yolks At Room Temperature
- 1 Cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese Plus Extra For Serving
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 Ounces Diced Guanciale (or Pancetta)
- 6 Ounces Italian Sausage Meat Removed From Casings
- 1 Small Onion, Diced
- 1 (24 Ounce) Jar Tomato Passata
- 1 Pound Rigatoni, or Other Short Dried Pasta
- 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks, cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, cook the guanciale until crisp and golden brown over medium heat.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the guanciale from the pan, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the onion to the pan, and cook, stirring often until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the sausage meat to the onion, and cook until brown and fully cooked, using two forks to break up the meat as it cooks.
- Pour the passata into the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Once cooked “al dente”, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the tomato mixture in the skillet, and stir to mix.
- Pour a little pasta water into the egg mixture to temper it.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly mix in the egg mixture stirring continuously until glossy.
- Add a little pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce a bit.
- Top the pasta with the guanciale and parsley and stir to mix.
- Serve pasta in individual bowls, topped with extra grated Pecorino.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 519Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 1211mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 27g