Cheese ravioli coated in creamy carbonara sauce with pancetta, Parmesan, and fresh parsley in an easy Italian-inspired dish.
# Components:
→ Ravioli
01 - 20 oz cheese-filled ravioli (fresh or frozen)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt, for boiling water
→ Carbonara Sauce
03 - 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup whole milk (or use all cream for extra richness)
07 - 1¾ oz Parmesan cheese, grated
08 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - 2 large egg yolks, whisked
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Garnish
12 - ¾ oz Parmesan cheese, grated
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Cracked black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon salt. Add ravioli and cook according to package instructions (3–5 minutes if fresh, 8–10 minutes if frozen). Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set ravioli aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced pancetta or bacon until crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - Melt butter in the skillet with pancetta fat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream and milk. Warm sauce gently for 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add grated Parmesan, ground black pepper, and salt to the skillet. Whisk until cheese melts smoothly into the sauce.
05 - Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually add several tablespoons of warm sauce to yolks, whisking constantly to temper. Slowly pour tempered yolks back into skillet, stirring continuously. Cook for 2 minutes to thicken without boiling.
06 - Add cooked ravioli to the skillet and gently toss to coat in the sauce. Return pancetta to the pan and mix well. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta water as needed.
07 - Divide ravioli among plates, topping with extra Parmesan, chopped parsley, and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
