A short ingredient list doesn’t always mean a recipe is easy. There’s nothing to hide behind in carbonara, a simple Roman pasta dish that some say gets its name from “carbone,” or coal—a reference to the dish’s peppery appearance. With a sauce of eggs, cheese, cured pork, and black pepper, it’s rich and velvety, but even slight missteps can leave you with a tangled pile of noodles and scrambled eggs—a phenomenon I call “the carbonara conundrum.”
Lesson 5: Rigatoni Carbonara with Peas
Guiding Rule: Focusing on temperature control yields predictably smooth results every time.
To get clump-free carbonara, the cooks at Milk Street switched things up ever so slightly, giving the home cook more control over the outcome. Rather than add the egg mixture to a hot pot of noodles, we transfer the noodles to the egg mixture in a room temperature bowl. The residual heat from the pasta gently cooks the sauce, rendering it creamy and velvety, so you don't have to worry about the eggs scrambling when they come in contact with a hot metal pot.
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
A quick list of rigatoni, fresh Parm or pecorino, chopped bacon, fresh or frozen peas, a few cloves of garlic and a few eggs is all this recipe calls for. I’ll note that garlic and peas aren’t typically included in carbonara, however the kitchen staff at Milk Street found that garlicky oil imparted a lovely, mild flavor, while pops of green peas added a welcome fresh texture and verdant brightness. Rigatoni is also a departure from the tried and true spaghetti that’s often used in carbonara, but the tubular shape allows the pasta to capture more sauce, along with peas and bits of bacon, while adding even more textural contrast. Despite two additional ingredients, I barely needed to go to the store. I opted for frozen peas since fresh weren’t quite in season yet, leaving them on the counter to defrost while I cooked.
Step 2:
After giving the bacon a good chop, I added it all to a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring it occasionally, until crisp. Off heat, I smashed a few cloves of garlic and added that to the bacon and its rendered fat until coated. Beware if you are already hungry—your kitchen will smell mouthwateringly good.
Step 3:
While the bacon cooked, I whisked together the whole egg and yolks, half of the finely grated cheese and a good few cracks of pepper. Though thick at first, it turned into a bright yellow, cheesy mixture once thoroughly combined.
Step 4:
In a pot of boiling water, I added the pasta and a good pinch of salt. At al dente, I saved 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then poured the peas into the pot with the pasta to perk them up before draining everything.
The next move was the most critical—once drained, I immediately poured the pasta and peas into the bowl with the egg mixture and tossed until the pasta was lightly sauced with the silky-smooth combination of cheese and yolk, about one minute. Adding some of the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time helped keep the sauce from getting dry.
Step 5:
I put the skillet with the bacon back on the stove over medium-high heat just until the fat started to sizzle, before removing the smashed garlic cloves off heat. (Real Italian cooks throw out their garlic.) Stirring slowly, I poured the hot bacon and some of its rendered fat over the pasta, mixing in the remaining cheese before giving it another good stir.
Step 6: Plate
A quick taste revealed no need for any extra salt, so I plated it up with a few cracks of black pepper and a hefty sprinkling of cheese. Dinner in 30 minutes.
Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.
And if you're looking for more Milk Street, check out our livestream cooking classes with our favorite chefs, home cooks and friends for global recipes, cooking methods and more.
