Rachael Is My Homegirl: Rigatoni alla Carbonara

I'm going to come right out there and say it: I LOVE RACHAEL RAY.  Some people find her supremely annoying (my husband is one of her naysayers), but I am one of her biggest fans.  


She loves to cook.  I love to cook.  She dislikes baking.  I dislike baking.  She draws that line at meals that take more than half an hour to prepare.  I won't attempt anything that takes longer than half an hour, start-to-finish.  She loves cheese.  I love cheese.  She is a meat-eater.  I am practically a carnivore.  She's got big hair.  I have big hair.  She is loud.  I am loud.  We're practically the same person!  


Yet Nick dislikes her...should I be worried??


Even if Nick hates the player, her certainly doesn't hate the game.  This carbonara recipe is one that he asks for on a regular basis.  My slightly modified version of her meal is below.

RIGATONI ALLA CARBONARA

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• salt
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 3/4 pound pancetta, cubed*
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 cup pasta water (don't forget this!)
• 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (I completely grate one of these)
• 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• fresh ground black pepper

Cook the rigatoni to al dente according to package directions (11-12 minutes) in liberally salted water.  As soon as you drop the pasta into the water, begin cooking the sauce.  (Don't begin cooking earlier or it won't all come together at the same time!)  

In a very large, high-sided skillet, heat olive oil and pepper flakes over medium-high heat (1 minute).  When oil is hot, add pancetta and brown lightly (4-5 minutes).  When pancetta just begins to crisp, add garlic and reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add wine (or chicken stock) and simmer for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly.  At this point your pasta should be almost ready.  Before you drain pasta, ladle approximately 1 cup of pasta water into the yolks.  Whisk briskly to keep eggs from scrambling.  Drain rigatoni, add pasta to sauce skillet, and toss to coat pasta.  Pour yolk/water mixture and  grated cheese over pasta, toss to coat.  Just before serving, stir in parsley and pepper according to your taste.  Serve with green salad.

(Serves 4)

*Pancetta can be almost impossible to find in many regular grocery stores in the States.  I could find it packaged and pre-sliced in one Maryland grocery store, but you can't buy it for love or money in western Oklahoma.  Since pancetta is basically Italy's version of American bacon, you can use very lean, thick-cut bacon diced into small bits.  If you want to try this with regular bacon, the flavor will be different (smokier) since pancetta is unsmoked.  I've had it both ways, but I do prefer the pancetta if I can find it.  Here in Germany they sell cubed unsmoked bacon, which is perfect.