Rigatoni carbonara with artichokes, is an exquisite alternative to the classic carbonara recipe. A first course with an intense and refined taste, the artichokes match  perfectly to the flavors of the bacon and the pecorino cheese with eggs.

Ingredients of the rigatoni carbonara with artichoke recipe (4 people)

• 0.9 pounds of rigatoni;
• 0.33 pounds of Amatrice pork cheek;
• 0.33 pounds of pecorino romano;
• 4 artichokes;
• 4 fresh medium eggs;
• Salt and pepper.

DIFFICULTY’	COOKING TIME	PREPARATION TIME
simple	10′	15′

Nutritional values ​​for one serving
Energy		0 kcal
		0 Kj
Fats		0 gr.
	Saturated fats	0 gr.
	Monounsaturated fats	0 gr.
	Polyunsaturated fats	0 gr.
Carbohydrates		0 gr.
	Sugars	0 gr.
Proteins		0 gr.
Salt		0 gr.
Dietary fiber		0 gr.
Cholesterol		0 gr.
Potassium		0 gr.

How to cook carbonara rigatoni with artichoke

Cut the tip of the artichoke flower 2 or 3 cm from the stem, according to the size of the artichoke. Eliminate the hardest and most woody part of the petals and the outer leaves, leafing through the base with a knife. Proceed until the most tender leaves.

Cut the stem and slice the artichoke into fine wedges, 1½ cm thick. Soak the artichokes for at least 15 minutes in a bowl with cold water and lemon juice, to prevent them from blackening.

Remove the pork cheek rind and then cut it into thin and elongated strips. Brown the pork cheek strips in a pan for a few minutes, sprinkle with pepper. We must obtain a good browning and an excellent crunchiness of the strips, letting the fat melt.

Remove the pork cheek from the pan and temporarily put it aside on a plate. Pour the artichokes and continue cooking for 5 minutes at medium temperature, in the pan with the fat released from the pork cheek.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Using a whisk or even a fork, whisk the egg yolks together and add the grated pecorino cheese. Whisk quickly until obtaining a good creaminess.

Boil the salted water in a saucepan. Pour the rigatoni and let it cook to obtain an “al dente” cooking. Drain and pour into the pan with artichokes. Keep a ladle of the cooking water in case of need.

Toss in a pan with the artichokes for a few minutes to finish the rigatoni cooking time. Now we can turn off the stove to continue the preparation.

Pour the cream of egg yolks and pecorino cheese into the pan. Turn off the cooker and toss the pan with rigatoni, to mix the cheese and egg cream with the pasta. If necessary, moisturize with a little cooking water to maintain the creaminess.

Add the pork cheek and mix one last time.

Our first course is now ready to be served with a sprinkling of pecorino cheese and freshly chopped black pepper.

This recipe is an alternative to the classic carbonara recipe, there are in fact several variations.