The pistachio carbonara is the dish you don’t expect: rich, creamy, and delicious, made a bit my way. Traditionally you’d use Pecorino Romano, but at my house it’s already a lot if I manage to hide Parmesan in dishes that really call for cheese. Fine — you use Pecorino. Still, the pistachio carbonara is extraordinary: especially if you love pistachio, you’ll enjoy this pasta. I know — for those who say “pistachio doesn’t belong in carbonara,” please bear with us; we like to stray and experiment a little.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz guanciale (cut into strips)
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (or grated Pecorino Romano)
- 5.6 oz rigatoni (or mezze maniche)
- 2 tbsp pistachio pesto
- to taste chopped pistachios
Tools
- 1 Sauté Pan
- 1 Spoon silicone
- 1 Pot for pasta
Steps
In a low-sided sauté pan, let the guanciale strips brown without adding any fat. In a bowl, work the egg yolks with the grated Parmesan or Pecorino (if you like, you can add some ground pepper). Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, drain it al dente, reserving a little of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the pan with the guanciale and, with the heat off, add the beaten eggs, stirring well to combine everything without letting the egg set too much or you’ll risk an omelette effect. Add the pistachio pesto and emulsify using some of the pasta cooking water. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and serve immediately.
