Chilaquiles Carbonara
What Is Chilaquiles Carbonara?
Chilaquiles Carbonara blends together the creamy flavors of Roman Carbonara with the zestiness of Mexican Chilaquiles. Egg is the common ingredient between these two dishes which fuses nicely together in this hybrid recipe. We took rigatoni pasta tossed in an egg and pecorino cheese sauce, then drizzled salsa verde and topped it off with crispy italian-herb breadcrumbs, cilantro and queso fresco.
This dish would serve as an amazing brunch meal with a nice mimosa or margarita!
Where’d It Come From?
Let me preface this by saying that I’m about to be very dramatic. But the first time I tried carbonara in Rome, it changed my life (didn’t I warn ya?). Up to that point, all of my pre-Rome carbonaras were extremely decadent and filled with cream – which, if you’ve ever eaten carbonara in the US, you know what I mean. The thing is, traditional, authentic carbonara is not made with cream. It’s made of very simple ingredients – egg, guanciale (pork cheek, though may be subbed for bacon or pancetta based on availability), pecorino cheese, and pasta. And IT-IS-A-LOT-BETTER. Roman carbonara is indeed still very rich, but somehow light at the same time, not to mention very flavorful if you use high-quality ingredients. And that is my very long way of saying carbonara comes from Rome!
Chilaquiles dates back to Aztecan history but has since been most closely associated with the Mexican culture. I first had chilaquiles at Anepalco in Orange, CA – which is known for their chilaquiles (if you’re ever in the Disneyland area, definitely stop by). Though I’d have to argue that their huevo divorciados is even better!
Want to dig deeper into the roots of these dishes? Check out our Food History 101 Blog!
– Click here to learn about the origin of Chilaquiles
– Click here to learn about the history of Carbonara
How’s It Made?
Makes: 4 servings | Active prep/cook time: 45 minutes minutes
Ingredients:
Tortilla Bread Crumbs
4 small corn tortillas
¼ tsp italian seasoning
½ cup finely grated pecorino cheese
4 tsp oil
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
Carbonara
16 oz of pancetta
16 oz of rigatoni pasta
4 eggs
6 oz grated pecorino cheese
½ cup sparkling water
¼ tsp ground cumin
Splash of white wine
Pinch of black pepper
Toppings/garnishes
Chopped cilantro
Crumbled queso fresco
Red or green salsa
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor, process all the breadcrumb ingredients on low until you get a coarse breadcrumb texture.
Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and create an even layer. Bake for 5 minutes, mix, and replace in oven for another 3 - 5 minutes or until crisp.
In a small saucepan, heat salsa on low and keep it warm, stirring occasionally.
In a large pot, cook pancetta over medium heat with cumin and a splash of wine for 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove from heat, drain most of fat, and place pot of pancetta to the side to cool.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Once pancetta has cooled, beat eggs and add it to the pot along with the pepper.
Once pasta has finished cooking, strain and add it to the pot of pancetta along with 6 oz of cheese and sparkling water.
Heat pot over medium heat and immediately mix the ingredients together very rapidly until smooth (about 10 seconds). You want the egg to stay in sauce form, not solidify.
Plate carbonara and top with a drizzle of salsa, tortilla bread crumbs, queso fresco, and chopped cilantro. As an optional addition, add a fried egg and some avocado!
