Brown Butter & Sage Mezzi Rigatoni
Brown Butter & Sage Mezzi Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh sage leaves, picked from stems
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Remove the fresh sage leaves from their stems. Set aside.
⏱️ 3 min
- 2
In a large, deep skillet or pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and start bubbling. Add the fresh sage leaves to the melted butter. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the butter browns to a deep amber color and the sage leaves become crispy and fragrant. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Once browned, carefully remove the crispy sage leaves from the pan with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the brown butter in the pan.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
While the butter is browning, grate 1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano cheese into a medium bowl. Add the 2 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Use a fork to vigorously whisk the egg yolks, cheese, and pepper together until a thick, smooth, and creamy paste forms. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the boiling water. Add the mezzi rigatoni pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Before draining the pasta, use a ladle to scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water into a separate bowl. This will be used to create the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it directly into the pan with the brown butter (ensure the crispy sage leaves have been removed). Immediately add the prepared egg and cheese mixture to the hot pasta. Add one ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Stir the pasta, egg mixture, and pasta water vigorously and continuously. The heat from the pasta and the starch from the pasta water will emulsify with the egg and cheese, creating a glossy, creamy sauce. If the sauce appears too thick, add more pasta water, a little at a time (up to 1 cup total), until the desired consistency is reached. Grate in a bit more Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/4 cup) and stir again to incorporate.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Plate the creamy mezzi rigatoni. Garnish each serving with additional freshly ground black pepper, more grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and the crispy sage leaves that were set aside earlier.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Brown Butter & Sage Mezzi Rigatoni
- 1 bunch fresh sage leaves, picked from stems
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Remove the fresh sage leaves from their stems. Set aside.
⏱️ 3 min - 2
In a large, deep skillet or pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and start bubbling. Add the fresh sage leaves to the melted butter. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the butter browns to a deep amber color and the sage leaves become crispy and fragrant. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Once browned, carefully remove the crispy sage leaves from the pan with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the brown butter in the pan.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
While the butter is browning, grate 1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano cheese into a medium bowl. Add the 2 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Use a fork to vigorously whisk the egg yolks, cheese, and pepper together until a thick, smooth, and creamy paste forms. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the boiling water. Add the mezzi rigatoni pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Before draining the pasta, use a ladle to scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water into a separate bowl. This will be used to create the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it directly into the pan with the brown butter (ensure the crispy sage leaves have been removed). Immediately add the prepared egg and cheese mixture to the hot pasta. Add one ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Stir the pasta, egg mixture, and pasta water vigorously and continuously. The heat from the pasta and the starch from the pasta water will emulsify with the egg and cheese, creating a glossy, creamy sauce. If the sauce appears too thick, add more pasta water, a little at a time (up to 1 cup total), until the desired consistency is reached. Grate in a bit more Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/4 cup) and stir again to incorporate.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Plate the creamy mezzi rigatoni. Garnish each serving with additional freshly ground black pepper, more grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and the crispy sage leaves that were set aside earlier.
⏱️ 1 min