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Tortellini Carbonara

Tortellini carbonara tossed into a silky egg-and-parmesan sauce with crisp pancetta and plenty of cracked black pepper. Refrigerated cheese tortellini gets combined off-heat so the eggs thicken into a creamy coating instead of scrambling.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
Pancetta and aromatics
  • 6 oz pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Egg and cheese sauce
  • 4 egg yolks Use 4 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg Use 1 whole egg
  • 1.25 cup parmesan, finely grated
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • freshly cracked black pepper Use lots of black pepper
To finish
  • 0.5 cup pasta cooking water Reserve 1/2 cup (may use a little more/less)
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook tortellini
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then cook the refrigerated cheese tortellini until tender. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
Crisp pancetta and bloom garlic
  1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the diced pancetta until crisp, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat.
Make the egg-parmesan mixture
  1. Whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, finely grated parmesan, nutmeg, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl until smooth and thick.
Combine off heat for creamy sauce
  1. Add the hot tortellini to the pancetta pan off the heat, then quickly pour in the egg mixture. Toss vigorously so the eggs coat the pasta and turn creamy without scrambling.
Adjust texture and finish
  1. Add reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time while tossing until the sauce is silky and creamy. Season with salt to taste, then top with fresh parsley and extra parmesan with an abundant crack of black pepper.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pancetta pan off the heat when adding the egg mixture—tossing quickly is what turns it glossy and creamy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water (avoid boiling). Freezing is not recommended for best sauce texture. For a lighter option, use turkey bacon or reduced-fat parmesan and keep the egg-and-water tossing method the same.