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Gluten-Free Artichoke Carbonara - The Whole Smiths

This Gluten-Free Artichoke Carbonara recipe was created for The Whole Smiths by Thuy Crinklaw. We've affectionately dubbed it as, "It's Not About the Pasta Pasta" in honor of our favorite reality TV show, Vanderpump Rules. This carbonara takes an Italian classic and puts and LA spin on it. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: gluten-free
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups marinated artichokes
  • 4 ounces pancetta finely chopped bacon will work as well
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup finely grated fresh pecorino romano cheese Parmesan works as well
  • 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
  • 1 cup peas cooked
  • ¼ cup chopped basil

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  • While you wait for the water to boil, bring a sauté pan to medium heat. Once hot, add the marinated artichokes to the pan. Cook the artichokes for 6 to 8 minutes until they are golden brown and have crisped a bit, flipping hallway through. Set the artichokes aside.
  • In a dutch oven or large stick pot, cook the pancetta over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is lightly crisped, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the dutch oven and set aside. Leave remaining fat from the placenta in the pan.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and eggs together completely. Whisk in the pecorino cheese.
  • Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and cook until tender.
  • Scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water and add it to the dutch oven. Make sure the fat has cooled enough before adding the water that is doesn’t splatter all over.
  • Strain the pasta.
  • Turn the heat on the dutch oven burner to medium and add the strained pasta to the dutch oven. Toss the pasta in the rendered fat and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add ½ cup of pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture. Slowly pour the egg and cheese mixture into the pasta while constantly stirring it to fully coat the pasta. Add the black pepper.
  • Stir until the cheese has melted and you have a thicker sauce coating the pasta.
  • Stir in the artichokes, pancetta and peas. 
  • Serve with chopped basil sprinkled over top.

Notes

1. Trader Joe’s sells 4 ounce packages of pancetta. If you can find it readily available, you can also chop 4 ounces of bacon in its place.
 
2. Pecorino romano and Parmesan cheese are interchangeable in my mind. In fact, it’s probably interchangeable in the minds of most home cooks. Parmesan has a more nutty, pungent flavor while pecorino tense to be a bit milder and saltier. Either will work for this recipe.
 
3. Fettuccine, spaghetti, whatever! Use what you have on hand in your pantry.