Cacio e Uova | Neapolitan “Cheese & Egg” Pasta Recipe

The silky, cheesy, and eggy sauce of a classic carbonara is an alluring and popular flavor, but carbonara isn’t the only Italian pasta to feature it! This Neapolitan recipe, which is much older than the Roman carbonara, is very similar to the latter but uses onion instead of guanciale. If you’re a fan of carbonara but want to try a similar twist, give Cacio e Uova (literally “Cheese and Egg”) a shot!

Cacio e Uova | Neapolitan “Cheese & Egg” Pasta Recipe

This dish is almost vegetarian, as it skips the pork guanciale in favor of onion but uses pork lard as a cooking fat. While we know many will be tempted to substitute the lard with olive oil, we recommend against doing so as the effect will definitely not be the same. If you absolutely must make a substitute, butter is a better vegetarian (although obviously not vegan) alternative.

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CACIO E UOVA RECIPE

Makes: 2 to 3 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

For this recipe, you will need:

• ¼ cup (60 grams) lard

• ½ large red onion, sliced

• 7.5 ounces (215 grams) mezze maniche or rigatoni pasta

• 1 large egg

• 3 egg yolks

• 2.5 ounces (75 grams) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and/or Pecorino Romano cheese

• Salt

• Fresh black pepper for topping

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. While it heats up, heat the lard and onion in a large pan over low heat. Sauté the onion until very tender, then turn off the heat.

When the pasta water comes to a rolling boil, salt it generously and add the pasta. Cook as directed, but for 1 minute less than the recommended “al dente” cook time. While the pasta boils, whisk together the egg, egg yolks and grated cheese in a large bowl.

When the pasta is done, transfer it into the lard/onion with a slotted ladle. Stir all together over medium/high heat until the pasta is well coated. Pour all of the pasta, onion and fat into the bowl with the eggs and stir all together with a spatula (the hot pasta pasteurizes the eggs without cooking them into a scramble).

Serve immediately, topped with fresh black pepper.

Buon appetito!