Description
Comfort meets elegance in this extra-creamy cacio e uova, where grated eggs dance with silky cheese for an Italian culinary embrace. Delicate pasta swirls invite you to savor each luxurious, Romano-infused bite of pure Roman comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Eggs:
- 10 ounces (283 grams) rigatoni
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 large eggs (for hard-boiling)
Cheese and Seasonings:
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) finely grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 grams) finely grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Garnishes and Additional Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Blend eggs, Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, water, salt, and pepper in a large mixing vessel until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Fill a pot with salted water, bringing to a rolling boil. Submerge two eggs and cook for precisely 10 minutes for hard-boiled consistency. Immediately transfer to an ice bath, carefully peel, and reserve.
- Cook rigatoni in the boiling water until perfectly al dente, preserving 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining.
- In a skillet, melt butter and toast panko until achieving a golden-brown hue. Incorporate chopped parsley, lemon zest, and additional Parmesan, then set the fragrant mixture aside.
- Using the same skillet, melt butter and sauté minced garlic until aromatic. Introduce the drained pasta, gradually adding reserved pasta water and the prepared egg-cheese emulsion.
- Continuously stir the mixture, allowing the sauce to thicken and elegantly coat each pasta ridge, creating a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Plate the pasta, generously garnishing with the crispy panko mixture and delicately grating the reserved hard-boiled eggs over the top for a rich, textural finish.
Notes
- Customize the cheese blend by mixing different hard, aged cheeses like Pecorino, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Grana Padano for complex flavor profiles.
- Achieve ultra-creamy sauce consistency by gradually adding pasta water and stirring constantly to prevent egg scrambling.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting panko with almond flour crumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers for similar crispy texture.
- Enhance protein content by incorporating additional grated Parmesan or experimenting with nutritional yeast for nutty undertones.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 791
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 678 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 73 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 330 mg