Cheese ravioli with creamy carbonara sauce, pancetta, Parmesan, and parsley; easy and satisfying Italian-American main 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 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 - ⅞ oz Parmesan cheese, grated
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Cracked black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook according to package directions (3–5 minutes fresh, 8–10 minutes frozen). Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain ravioli and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced pancetta or bacon until crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, leaving 1 tablespoon rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - Melt butter in the skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream and milk. Warm for 2–3 minutes while stirring gently.
04 - Add grated Parmesan, black pepper, and salt to the warm cream mixture. Whisk continuously until the cheese melts into the sauce.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly add several tablespoons of warm sauce to the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Pour tempered yolks back into the skillet and stir continuously. Cook on low for 2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens without boiling.
06 - Add cooked ravioli to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly. Return pancetta or bacon to the pan and mix well. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta water, a little at a time, if needed.
07 - Divide ravioli among serving plates. Top each portion with extra grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
