Pasta Cacio e Uova with Lard and Eggs
Roman pasta dish combining eggs, hard cheeses, and lard in a creamy sauce. Tubettoni pasta is tossed with a mixture of beaten eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and parsley, then bound together off heat to create a silky, uniform coating. Finished with cracked black pepper and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 12 oz tubettoni pastaspaghetti1:1pasta
long pasta works but changes texture
- 1 ¾ oz lard
- 1 ¾ oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 1 ¾ oz Pecorino Romano, grated
- 4 eggs
- parsley, chopped
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Crack eggs into a bowl and beat together with salt, pepper, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and chopped parsley.
- 2
Cook pasta in abundant salted water until al dente, reserving one ladle of cooking water, then drain.
- 3
Melt lard in a wide skillet, add drained pasta and reserved cooking water, and toss to combine.
- 4
Add egg and cheese mixture to the skillet.
- 5
Over low heat, stir constantly until egg is cooked through and coats pasta evenly.
- 6
Serve immediately, finishing with abundant cracked black pepper and chopped parsley at the table.
Tips
Reserve pasta cooking water before draining to help emulsify the sauce.
Keep heat low when adding eggs to prevent scrambling; stir constantly for uniform coating.
Serve immediately to preserve creamy texture.
Good to Know
Not recommended; best served immediately after cooking.
Ingredients can be prepped ahead. Beat egg mixture up to 2 hours before cooking; refrigerate covered.
Finish each plate with cracked black pepper and fresh parsley at table rather than pre-plating.
Common Mistakes
Do not add eggs at high heat to avoid scrambling; use low heat and stir constantly.
Do not omit reserved pasta water; it helps create creamy sauce.
Do not skip grinding pepper fresh; pre-ground diminishes pepper flavor.