An alternative to cream in a pasta sauce is egg yolks. This is probably most popular in the form of spaghetti carbonara which is made by tossing together sauteed bacon, Parmesan, raw egg yolks, and hot noodles. Carbonara is absolutely delicious but quite rich, and if made badly greasy. However, when egg yolks are used in a pasta which feature vegetables it doesn’t have to be heavy at all and the eggs give it such a delectable and distinctive flavour, perfect for a vegetarian pasta recipe.
(serves 2)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic
2 dried thai red chilies, crushed. Or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
a dozen young shitake mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
3 cups roughly chopped rapini or broccoli rabe, wet (wash it and don’t spin dry
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter
2 servings spaghetti
Boil some salted water for your spaghetti. In the meantime heat a skillet to medium and add oil onion, chiles and garlic and saute. Add spaghetti. In the meantime cook onions for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add mushrooms and a good grinding of pepper and saute for another 3 minutes. Add rapini with a big punch of salt. Stir and turn regularly to wilt the rapini. Meanwhile whisk together egg yolk and Parmesan. Reserve a cup of water from the pasta and drain. Whisk 1.4 cup of the pasta water into egg yolk mixture and combine, pasta, butter, egg mixture and vegetables and toss. Toss well to melt and fuse adding water if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Similar Recipes:
Pasta Primavera
Spring Vegetable Cannelloni Recipe
Tortellini with Ham, Mushroom, Red Peppers and Cream
Creamy Zucchini and Basil Penne
For more Fall recipes and Cooking Ideas, check out 5 Things to Cook this Fall
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you, thank you! Finally a decent looking and sounding vegetarian ‘Carbonara’!!
A lovely vegatarian carbonara!! I so love rapini's taste!!!
Love it! I could eat this any time of day.
Anh – I love vegetarian pasta it sometimes they lack protein, so making it carbonara style helps!
Sophie – me too! I just discovered it.
Kalyn – mhmm, maybe I should eat this for breakfast in fact!
Simple, clean, and appetizing. Gorgeous