This week we wanted to use up the last of the garden rapini as well as the oodles of duck eggs that Holly has been getting every day. A version of pasta Carbonara seemed like the perfect fit. The cheese sauce and rich egg yolks go perfectly with the slightly bitter rapini greens. You can use chicken, duck, or goose eggs for this recipe. As always, we include gluten and dairy free substitutions.
We talk you through making this pasta dish in Episode 289 of our podcast. If you enjoy this recipe, you may also enjoy our recipes for Pasta Frittata with Pesto and Baked Macaroni and Cheese.
Ingredients
1 12 oz box or bag of spaghetti, gluten free spaghetti, or pasta of choice
1 generous bunch of rapini (broccoli rabe), washed, chopped into 2 inch lengths, tough stems removed
3 large chicken eggs and 1 egg yolk or 3 large ducks eggs or 1 goose egg
1 cup of grated parmesan or Romano cheese or dairy free cheese of choice
1 tablespoon of lemon zest and juice of ½ a lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Pancetta, optional, or fakin’ bacon bits for the vegetarian crowd
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, grated cheese, and freshly grated lemon zest until smooth. Season generously with pepper or red pepper flakes if you like it hot. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding salt as desired. Just a note – you can blanche your rapini in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes and take it out with a slotted spoon before you put the pasta in. We like it’s slight bitterness so we don’t bother, but it’s often a good idea if you’re working with thick stems or not as fresh rapini from the grocery store. Drop your pasta into the same boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the starchy pasta water.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat with a generous splash of olive oil. If you’re using pancetta, add it now and cook until it starts to render fat.
Add your garlic and cook for just a few minutes, until it starts to brown a little bit.
Add your rapini to the skillet and let it cook with the garlic and pancetta for a minute or two. If you’re using fake bacon bits, add them now, then add the pasta to the skillet and toss everything together.
Take the skillet off of the heat. Pour in your egg-and-cheese mixture and using a pair of big fork and spoon or tongs, thoroughly toss everything in the skillet to coat it with the egg mixture. Add a splash of the starchy pasta water if it’s too dry, and stir well until the coating is more saucy. Serve with extra cheese and enjoy!