orzo tomato carbonara

the italians might get mad at me

one of the first real “dishes” that I taught myself to cook was spaghetti carbonara – the classic Roman pasta that consists of guanciale (pork cheek), black pepper, raw eggs, and parmigiano reggiano cheese. to this day it is still one of my favorite things.

however, there are a lot of variations (or bastardizations, as Italians would say) that are…inauthentic to say the least. I agree with the Italians that there are a lot of really bad dishes that claim to be carbonara (see: olive garden’s “carbonara”).

yet, I also think there are some fun variations of carbonara. these variations usually stick to the core of the recipe – using the egg yolks, the correct cheese, usually no cream, etc. for example, I made a carbonara with ramps and a carbonara with lobster. authentic? not exactly. but it only slightly strays from the origin.

this is all to say, I’m not exactly sure what to call this recipe. it’s sort of a cross between an amatriciana (roman pasta with guanciale & tomato sauce) and a carbonara, but using orzo, and also not really making a tomato sauce. (and I added butter, please don’t kill me). so, for now, I’ll call it orzo tomato carbonara.

and let me tell you, it is delicious! cherry tomatoes saute in the pork fat from the crispy pancetta, then orzo simmers with the tomatoes, and egg yolks are added at the end to create a rich, luxurious pasta dish.

the full recipe:

makes 1 serving as a main, 2 servings as a side

see the video of this recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup diced pancetta or guanciale

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 cup orzo

• 1 cup water or broth (plus more as needed)

• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated, divided in half

• 1 tbsp butter

• black pepper, to taste

• kosher salt, to taste

• 2 egg yolks

Tools

small mixing bowl

whisk

Steps

1. In a small mixing bowl, add 2 egg yolks and approximately 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano. whisk together to form a paste. Set aside.

2. Add 1/3 cup diced pancetta to a cold pan, then place the heat on low. allow the fat to render on low for a few minutes, then increase the heat to medium. saute until all of the pieces are crispy.

3. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the pancetta bits from the pan and place them on a paper towel. leave the pork fat in the pan.

4. Add the 1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes to the pan over medium heat. Saute for about 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup orzo. Stir, allowing the orzo to gently toast for 1-2 minutes.

5. Pour in 1 cup of water/broth and stir to combine, making sure no orzo bits are stuck to the pan. Bring to a simmer on medium heat. simmer until orzo is cooked through and the majority of the liquid has been absorbed.

   1. **if the orzo is not done cooking when the liquid is absorbed, add more as needed and continue until cooked through.**

6. To the cooked orzo, add another 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese on low heat along with 1 tbsp butter. Stir to combine until the butter is incorporated.

7. Add in a generous amount of cracks of black pepper. Taste the orzo and add kosher salt to your preference.

8. Turn off the heat. Allow to cool for about 1 minute, then add in the egg yolk/cheese paste. Stir immediately to prevent scrambling. Stir until fully incorporated.

9. Stir in half of the crispy pancetta.

10. Serve hot, garnishing with the remaining crispy pancetta along with more black pepper and more parmesan cheese.

• I did not list measurements for salt, because the salt level can vary based on the cheese and pork you’re using. both the cheese and the pork are salty on their own. that being said, you DO still need to use salt in this recipe. taste and adjust. doesn’t taste right? add more salt.

• Traditional carbonara uses guanciale (pork cheek). however, using pancetta is a fine alternative. worst case scenario, bacon is fine.

• The best way to cook crispy pancetta or guanciale is to start it in a cold pan. this allows the fat to slowly render out, so then the meat can cook in its own fat, getting super crisp.

orzo: If you cant find orzo, use another small pasta such as acini di pepe or ditalini. for a gluten free option, don’t use GF pasta. instead, opt for risotto rice. this will require more liquid and a longer cook time, but the result should be similar.

cherry tomatoes: grape tomatoes are fine, as is a chopped large tomato.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!

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